# Is "Cross Channel" by Julian Barnes a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Cross Channel by Julian Barnes (Jonathan Cape, 1996) is identified by: First story collection, issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering and a dust jacket. UK Cape (1996) precedes the US Alfred A.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First story collection, issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering and a dust jacket
- Copyright page reads First published 1996 with the Cape number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2; jacket priced at 13.99 net
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Julian Barnes |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First story collection, issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering and a dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First story collection, issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering and a dust jacket. Copyright page reads First published 1996 with the Cape number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2; jacket priced at 13.99 net.

## Is this the true first?
UK Cape (1996) precedes the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (1996).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions drop the 1 from the number line; reprints state their impression.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Cross Channel* by Julian Barnes a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/cross-channel
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.