# Is "Or Shall We Die?" by Ian McEwan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Or Shall We Die? by Ian McEwan (Jonathan Cape, 1983) is identified by: Libretto/oratorio text (words by McEwan, music by Michael Berkeley); slim volume of about 32 pages; copyright page reads 'First published 1983'. UK Cape (1983) is the true first appearance of the text.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Libretto/oratorio text (words by McEwan, music by Michael Berkeley); slim volume of about 32 pages; copyright page reads 'First published 1983'
- A separate Oxford University Press musical score followed in 1984
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ian McEwan |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 1983 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Libretto/oratorio text (words by McEwan, music by Michael Berkeley); slim volume of about 32 pages; copyright page reads 'First published… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Libretto/oratorio text (words by McEwan, music by Michael Berkeley); slim volume of about 32 pages; copyright page reads 'First published 1983'. A separate Oxford University Press musical score followed in 1984.

## Is this the true first?
UK Cape (1983) is the true first appearance of the text. Minor collectible.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition; the 1984 OUP score is a separate music publication, not a reprint of the Cape text.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Or Shall We Die?* by Ian McEwan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/or-shall-we-die
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.