# Is "How Late It Was, How Late" by James Kelman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of How Late It Was, How Late by James Kelman (Secker & Warburg, 1994) is identified by: First UK edition, Secker & Warburg, London, 1994. The UK Secker & Warburg edition is the true first; the US edition (W.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First UK edition, Secker & Warburg, London, 1994. 'First published 1994' on the verso of the title page
- Original boards in pictorial dust jacket with its printed price on the front flap; jacket designed by Colum Leith
- Won the 1994 Booker Prize (a controversial decision)
- Publisher imprint reads Secker & Warburg
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Kelman |
| Publisher | Secker & Warburg |
| Year | 1994 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK edition, Secker & Warburg, London, 1994. 'First published 1994' on the verso of the title page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First UK edition, Secker & Warburg, London, 1994. 'First published 1994' on the verso of the title page. Original boards in pictorial dust jacket with its printed price on the front flap; jacket designed by Colum Leith. Won the 1994 Booker Prize (a controversial decision).

## Is this the true first?
The UK Secker & Warburg edition is the true first; the US edition (W. W. Norton) appeared in 1995.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Norton US edition is later and US-priced (jacket the printed price). No prominent book-club edition affects the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *How Late It Was, How Late* by James Kelman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/how-late-it-was-how-late
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.