The points of issue
Full title 'In Between the Sheets, and Other Stories'. Cloth-backed boards, gilt spine; copyright page reads 'First published 1978' with no statement of later impression. First-issue dust jacket priced 3.50 net on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
UK Cape (1978) precedes the US Simon and Schuster edition (1979). McEwan's second short-story collection (seven stories).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings add an impression statement or number; paperbacks are later issues.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of In Between the Sheets a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Full title 'In Between the Sheets, and Other Stories'. Cloth-backed boards, gilt spine; copyright page reads 'First published 1978' with no statement of later impression. First-issue dust jacket priced 3.50 net on the front flap.
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 (1978) precedes the US Simon and Schuster edition (1979). McEwan's second short-story collection (seven stories).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings add an impression statement or number; paperbacks are later issues.
I have a first edition of In Between the Sheets — 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.