The points of issue
Secker & Warburg (London), 1999 is the true first edition (Booker Prize winner, awarded Oct 1999). Points of issue for the first edition, first printing, FIRST STATE: (1) Printed by Biddles Ltd — NOT Clays. This is the critical discriminator. (2) Number line present, full 1-10 / ending in "1". CAUTION: a "1" in the number line alone does NOT confirm a true first — later second-state copies were printed by Clays yet still carry a number line ending in "1." So the number-line point as originally stated ("first printing number line ending in 1") is necessary but NOT sufficient and is potentially misleading on its own; it must be paired with the Biddles printer credit. (3) First-STATE dust jacket has NO "Winner of The Booker Prize 1999" legend on the front panel (the book was printed before the prize was announced); second-state jackets add the Booker banner. (4) Dust jacket priced £14.99 (unclipped) — CONFIRMED. (5) Bound in publisher's boards (cloth-covered boards) with burgundy/maroon endpapers — the "publisher's boards" claim is consistent with dealer descriptions. Jacket photograph by Lucy Harmer.
Is this the true first?
Secker & Warburg London 1999 is the true first; Viking New York 1999 is the first US.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions shown by number line; US edition distinguished by imprint.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Disgrace a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Secker & Warburg (London), 1999 is the true first edition (Booker Prize winner, awarded Oct 1999). Points of issue for the first edition, first printing, FIRST STATE: (1) Printed by Biddles Ltd — NOT Clays. This is the critical discriminator. (2) Number line present, full 1-10 / ending in "1". CAUTION: a "1" in the number line alone does NOT confirm a true first — later second-state copies were printed by Clays yet still carry a number line ending in "1." So the number-line point as originally stated ("first printing number line ending in 1") is necessary b
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. Secker & Warburg London 1999 is the true first; Viking New York 1999 is the first US.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions shown by number line; US edition distinguished by imprint.
I have a first edition of Disgrace — 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.