# Is "Sacred Hunger" by Barry Unsworth a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth (Hamish Hamilton, 1992) is identified by: First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1992. The UK Hamish Hamilton edition is the true first; the US edition (Doubleday / Nan A.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1992. 'First published 1992' on the verso of the title page
- Original boards in dust jacket with its printed price on the front flap
- Co-winner of the 1992 Booker Prize (shared with Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient)
- Publisher imprint reads Hamish Hamilton
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Barry Unsworth |
| Publisher | Hamish Hamilton |
| Year | 1992 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1992. 'First published 1992' on the verso of the title page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First UK edition, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1992. 'First published 1992' on the verso of the title page. Original boards in dust jacket with its printed price on the front flap. Co-winner of the 1992 Booker Prize (shared with Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient).

## Is this the true first?
The UK Hamish Hamilton edition is the true first; the US edition (Doubleday / Nan A. Talese) also appeared in 1992 but followed the UK printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US edition is later in sequence and US-priced. No prominent book-club edition affects the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Sacred Hunger* by Barry Unsworth a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/sacred-hunger
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.