The points of issue
Octavo; quarter cloth over boards (blue-grey cloth with silver spine lettering); copyright page states 'First published 1997' with the printer's key descending to 1; first-issue dust jacket carries the original UK price unclipped.
Is this the true first?
First published by Jonathan Cape in London in 1997; the US Nan A. Talese / Doubleday edition followed in 1998, so the Cape printing genuinely precedes the US edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Cape impressions revise the printer's key so the lowest digit is no longer 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Enduring Love a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Octavo; quarter cloth over boards (blue-grey cloth with silver spine lettering); copyright page states 'First published 1997' with the printer's key descending to 1; first-issue dust jacket carries the original UK price unclipped.
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. First published by Jonathan Cape in London in 1997; the US Nan A. Talese / Doubleday edition followed in 1998, so the Cape printing genuinely precedes the US edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Cape impressions revise the printer's key so the lowest digit is no longer 1.
I have a first edition of Enduring Love — 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.