# Is "Success" by Martin Amis a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Success by Martin Amis (Jonathan Cape, 1978) is identified by: Jonathan Cape first edition, first impression, stating 'First published 1978' with no additional printings noted on the verso; octavo (about 20.5 cm), 224 pages. UK Cape (1978) is the true first; the US first edition did not appear until 1987 from Harmony Books, New York, so the UK precedes by nine years.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Jonathan Cape first edition, first impression, stating 'First published 1978' with no additional printings noted on the verso; octavo (about 20.5 cm), 224 pages
- Black paper-covered boards with the spine titled in gilt and the top edge of the text block stained yellow
- In the first-issue dust jacket designed by Bill Botten, boldly colored in red, yellow and black, carrying the original printed net price on the front flap
- Amis's third novel; the publisher used unusually thick paper for this book
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Martin Amis |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 1978 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Jonathan Cape first edition, first impression, stating 'First published 1978' with no additional printings noted on the verso; octavo… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Jonathan Cape first edition, first impression, stating 'First published 1978' with no additional printings noted on the verso; octavo (about 20.5 cm), 224 pages. Black paper-covered boards with the spine titled in gilt and the top edge of the text block stained yellow. In the first-issue dust jacket designed by Bill Botten, boldly colored in red, yellow and black, carrying the original printed net price on the front flap. Amis's third novel; the publisher used unusually thick paper for this book.

## Is this the true first?
UK Cape (1978) is the true first; the US first edition did not appear until 1987 from Harmony Books, New York, so the UK precedes by nine years.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition concern. The first-issue jacket carries the original printed net price on the front flap; a present, unclipped price supports the first-impression claim, though clipping alone does not disqualify a first impression.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Success* by Martin Amis a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/success
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.