The points of issue
Novel issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering and a dust jacket; copyright page reads First published 1998 with the Cape number line counting down to 1. The first-issue jacket notes the title was shortlisted for the 1998 Booker Prize. ISBN 0 224 05275 6.
Is this the true first?
UK Cape (1998) precedes the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (1999).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions remove the 1 from the number line; book-club copies lack the publisher number line and price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of England, England a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Novel issued by Cape in cloth-backed boards with gilt spine lettering and a dust jacket; copyright page reads First published 1998 with the Cape number line counting down to 1. The first-issue jacket notes the title was shortlisted for the 1998 Booker Prize. ISBN 0 224 05275 6.
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. UK Cape (1998) precedes the US Alfred A. Knopf edition (1999).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions remove the 1 from the number line; book-club copies lack the publisher number line and price.
I have a first edition of England, England — 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.