# Is "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell" by Susanna Clarke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury, 2004) is identified by: First printing identified by the number line beginning with 1 (full line present). Precedence by date actually favors the US issue: the US edition was published 8 September 2004, two weeks ahead of the UK Bloomsbury edition (30 September 2004).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing identified by the number line beginning with 1 (full line present)
- Portia Rosenberg illustrations; priced jacket
- A simultaneously issued variant exists (black boards / white endpapers / black jacket vs. white boards / black endpapers)
- The US issue states 'First U.S. Edition'
- Publisher imprint reads Bloomsbury
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Susanna Clarke |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury |
| Year | 2004 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First printing identified by the number line beginning with 1 (full line present) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First printing identified by the number line beginning with 1 (full line present). Portia Rosenberg illustrations; priced jacket. A simultaneously issued variant exists (black boards / white endpapers / black jacket vs. white boards / black endpapers). The US issue states 'First U.S. Edition'.

## Is this the true first?
Precedence by date actually favors the US issue: the US edition was published 8 September 2004, two weeks ahead of the UK Bloomsbury edition (30 September 2004). Both are Bloomsbury-family firsts; collectors prize the UK issue, but the US issue holds chronological precedence. Identify either first printing by the number line beginning with 1.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club and later printings show number lines that do not begin with 1. Verify the full number line beginning with 1 and the correct Bloomsbury imprint for the issue in hand.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell* by Susanna Clarke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/jonathan-strange-mr-norrell
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.