# Is "My Idea of Fun" by Will Self a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of My Idea of Fun by Will Self (Bloomsbury, 1993) is identified by: Self's first novel (subtitled A Cautionary Tale). The UK Bloomsbury edition of 1993 is the true first, preceding the US Atlantic Monthly Press edition of 1994.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Self's first novel (subtitled A Cautionary Tale)
- London: Bloomsbury, 1993, ISBN 0747515913
- Octavo, 309 pages, in black boards with gilt titling to the spine and black endpapers, in the pictorial dust jacket which should retain its printed price
- A first impression carries a complete number line ending in 1
- Publisher imprint reads Bloomsbury
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Will Self |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury |
| Year | 1993 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Self's first novel (subtitled A Cautionary Tale) |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Self's first novel (subtitled A Cautionary Tale). London: Bloomsbury, 1993, ISBN 0747515913. Octavo, 309 pages, in black boards with gilt titling to the spine and black endpapers, in the pictorial dust jacket which should retain its printed price. A first impression carries a complete number line ending in 1.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Bloomsbury edition of 1993 is the true first, preceding the US Atlantic Monthly Press edition of 1994.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions add an impression statement or drop the 1 from the number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *My Idea of Fun* by Will Self a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/my-idea-of-fun
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.