# Is "Shark" by Will Self a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Shark by Will Self (Viking, 2014) is identified by: The UK Viking (Penguin) hardcover, London, 2014 (ISBN 978-0-670-91857-7). The UK Viking (Penguin) hardcover (2014) is the true first; the US Grove Press edition (ISBN 978-0-8021-2417-3) followed in November 2014.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The UK Viking (Penguin) hardcover, London, 2014 (ISBN 978-0-670-91857-7)
- Bound in boards with gilt spine lettering; full number line including 1 on the copyright page; the price-printed dust jacket should retain its printed price (clipped or not does not affect the printing point)
- Publisher imprint reads Viking
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Will Self |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 2014 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The UK Viking (Penguin) hardcover, London, 2014 (ISBN 978-0-670-91857-7) |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
The UK Viking (Penguin) hardcover, London, 2014 (ISBN 978-0-670-91857-7). Bound in boards with gilt spine lettering; full number line including 1 on the copyright page; the price-printed dust jacket should retain its printed price (clipped or not does not affect the printing point).

## Is this the true first?
The UK Viking (Penguin) hardcover (2014) is the true first; the US Grove Press edition (ISBN 978-0-8021-2417-3) followed in November 2014.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings drop the 1 from the number line and/or state the impression.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Shark* by Will Self a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/shark
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.