# Is "First Love, Last Rites" by Ian McEwan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of First Love, Last Rites by Ian McEwan (Jonathan Cape, 1975) is identified by: London: Jonathan Cape, 1975. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (1975) is the true first, preceding the US Random House edition (1975).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- London: Jonathan Cape, 1975
- McEwan's first book, a collection of short stories
- Publisher's black cloth, gilt spine titles; dust jacket designed by Bill Botten, with its printed price to the flap, unclipped
- Copyright page reads 'First published 1975'
- The collection won the Somerset Maugham Award for 1976
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ian McEwan |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 1975 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | London: Jonathan Cape, 1975 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
London: Jonathan Cape, 1975. McEwan's first book, a collection of short stories. Publisher's black cloth, gilt spine titles; dust jacket designed by Bill Botten, with its printed price to the flap, unclipped. Copyright page reads 'First published 1975'. The collection won the Somerset Maugham Award for 1976.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Jonathan Cape edition (1975) is the true first, preceding the US Random House edition (1975). The debut is the key McEwan first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions add a printing statement; the US edition is a separate setting.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *First Love, Last Rites* by Ian McEwan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/first-love-last-rites
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.