The points of issue
First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton (Penguin), London, 2019. 'First published 2019' on the copyright page with a number line descending to 1 on the first printing. Original boards in unclipped dust jacket priced 16.99 pounds. Co-winner of the 2019 Booker Prize, shared with Margaret Atwood's The Testaments.
Is this the true first?
The UK Hamish Hamilton edition is the true first. The US edition was issued by Grove Atlantic under its Black Cat imprint as a trade paperback in November 2019, after the UK first. First-printing jackets precede the Booker win; signed copies exist.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US Grove/Black Cat issue is a later trade paperback distinguished by imprint and format. Later Hamish Hamilton printings add a Booker band; the first is told by the number line descending to 1. No prominent book club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Girl, Woman, Other a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton (Penguin), London, 2019. 'First published 2019' on the copyright page with a number line descending to 1 on the first printing. Original boards in unclipped dust jacket priced 16.99 pounds. Co-winner of the 2019 Booker Prize, shared with Margaret Atwood's The Testaments.
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. The UK Hamish Hamilton edition is the true first. The US edition was issued by Grove Atlantic under its Black Cat imprint as a trade paperback in November 2019, after the UK first. First-printing jackets precede the Booker win; signed copies exist.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The US Grove/Black Cat issue is a later trade paperback distinguished by imprint and format. Later Hamish Hamilton printings add a Booker band; the first is told by the number line descending to 1. No prominent book club edition.
I have a first edition of Girl, Woman, Other — 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.