The points of issue
Second collection of essays on France. The UK first edition is a Picador paperback in card wrappers with French flaps (Howard Hodgkin cover painting in red, blue and white), roughly 19.6 by 12.9 cm, with blue endpapers, not a cloth hardback. Copyright page reads First published 2002 by Picador; ISBN 0 330 48916 X. Collation xviii, 318 pages.
Is this the true first?
UK Picador paperback (2002) is the first edition; a US Alfred A. Knopf edition and a Random House Canada edition also appeared in 2002. Picador originated this title in wrappers rather than as a Cape hardback.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Picador printings state a higher impression on the copyright page; the wrappers, French flaps, and 2002 date mark the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Something to Declare a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Second collection of essays on France. The UK first edition is a Picador paperback in card wrappers with French flaps (Howard Hodgkin cover painting in red, blue and white), roughly 19.6 by 12.9 cm, with blue endpapers, not a cloth hardback. Copyright page reads First published 2002 by Picador; ISBN 0 330 48916 X. Collation xviii, 318 pages.
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. UK Picador paperback (2002) is the first edition; a US Alfred A. Knopf edition and a Random House Canada edition also appeared in 2002. Picador originated this title in wrappers rather than as a Cape hardback.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Picador printings state a higher impression on the copyright page; the wrappers, French flaps, and 2002 date mark the first.
I have a first edition of Something to Declare — 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.