# Is "Joseph Anton: A Memoir" by Salman Rushdie a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Joseph Anton: A Memoir by Salman Rushdie (Jonathan Cape, 2012) is identified by: First UK edition, Jonathan Cape (London), 2012, in boards with a gilt-lettered spine and pictorial dust jacket; the copyright page shows a full number line descending to 1. Jonathan Cape (London) and Random House in New York both issued the memoir in September 2012 (18 September); treat as near-simultaneous, with the Cape edition the UK first and the Random House edition the US first, each carrying its own descending number line to 1.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First UK edition, Jonathan Cape (London), 2012, in boards with a gilt-lettered spine and pictorial dust jacket; the copyright page shows a full number line descending to 1
- The jacket should retain its printed net price; a copy is complete with that price present, and price-clipping alone does not determine printing
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Salman Rushdie |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 2012 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK edition, Jonathan Cape (London), 2012, in boards with a gilt-lettered spine and pictorial dust jacket; the copyright page shows a… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First UK edition, Jonathan Cape (London), 2012, in boards with a gilt-lettered spine and pictorial dust jacket; the copyright page shows a full number line descending to 1. The jacket should retain its printed net price; a copy is complete with that price present, and price-clipping alone does not determine printing.

## Is this the true first?
Jonathan Cape (London) and Random House in New York both issued the memoir in September 2012 (18 September); treat as near-simultaneous, with the Cape edition the UK first and the Random House edition the US first, each carrying its own descending number line to 1.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings carry an impression statement or a number line no longer ending in 1; the true first shows the complete number line ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Joseph Anton: A Memoir* by Salman Rushdie a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/joseph-anton-a-memoir
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.