# Is "Learning to Swim and Other Stories" by Graham Swift a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Learning to Swim and Other Stories by Graham Swift (London Magazine Editions, 1982) is identified by: Swift's first story collection, issued in a hardcover binding of apple-green cloth with gilt spine lettering, 146 pages; copyright page reads 'First published 1982'; original dust jacket. UK London Magazine Editions (1982) precedes the US Poseidon Press edition of 1985; the London Magazine Editions hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Swift's first story collection, issued in a hardcover binding of apple-green cloth with gilt spine lettering, 146 pages; copyright page reads 'First published 1982'; original dust jacket
- The print run was small (about 750 copies), which accounts for its scarcity
- Publisher imprint reads London Magazine Editions
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Graham Swift |
| Publisher | London Magazine Editions |
| Year | 1982 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Swift's first story collection, issued in a hardcover binding of apple-green cloth with gilt spine lettering, 146 pages; copyright page… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Swift's first story collection, issued in a hardcover binding of apple-green cloth with gilt spine lettering, 146 pages; copyright page reads 'First published 1982'; original dust jacket. The print run was small (about 750 copies), which accounts for its scarcity.

## Is this the true first?
UK London Magazine Editions (1982) precedes the US Poseidon Press edition of 1985; the London Magazine Editions hardcover is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; genuinely scarce, especially in jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Learning to Swim and Other Stories* by Graham Swift a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/learning-to-swim-and-other-stories
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.