The points of issue
First UK edition published 1974 by Jonathan Cape, in boards with the original Bill Botten-designed dust jacket. This is the true first.
Is this the true first?
The Cape 1974 UK edition is the true first. The Farrar, Straus and Giroux US edition also appeared in 1974; UK precedence is the standard cataloguing position. The US issue has black boards with a grey cloth backstrip and green-stamped spine.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No notable book-club edition for the first issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Concrete Island a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First UK edition published 1974 by Jonathan Cape, in boards with the original Bill Botten-designed dust jacket. This is the true first.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The Cape 1974 UK edition is the true first. The Farrar, Straus and Giroux US edition also appeared in 1974; UK precedence is the standard cataloguing position. The US issue has black boards with a grey cloth backstrip and green-stamped spine.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No notable book-club edition for the first issue.
I have a first edition of Concrete Island — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.