The points of issue
Novella in hardcover; boards with gilt-lettered spine; full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; price-clipped or priced jacket as issued.
Is this the true first?
The UK Scribner (Simon & Schuster UK) hardcover of 2016 is the true first, preceding the US Knopf 2016 edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions show a raised lowest number in the line (the first impression runs down to 1).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Mothering Sunday: A Romance a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Novella in hardcover; boards with gilt-lettered spine; full number line ending in 1 on the copyright page; price-clipped or priced jacket as issued.
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. The UK Scribner (Simon & Schuster UK) hardcover of 2016 is the true first, preceding the US Knopf 2016 edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions show a raised lowest number in the line (the first impression runs down to 1).
I have a first edition of Mothering Sunday: A Romance — 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.