# Is "The Cement Garden" by Ian McEwan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan (Jonathan Cape, 1978) is identified by: London: Jonathan Cape, 1978. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (1978) precedes the US Simon & Schuster edition (1978).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- London: Jonathan Cape, 1978
- McEwan's first full-length novel (his third book, after two story collections)
- Publisher's green cloth, gilt spine titles, grey endpapers; first-issue dust jacket designed by Ron Bowen, with its printed price to the flap, unclipped
- Copyright page reads 'First published 1978'
- Publisher imprint reads Jonathan Cape
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ian McEwan |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Year | 1978 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | London: Jonathan Cape, 1978 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
London: Jonathan Cape, 1978. McEwan's first full-length novel (his third book, after two story collections). Publisher's green cloth, gilt spine titles, grey endpapers; first-issue dust jacket designed by Ron Bowen, with its printed price to the flap, unclipped. Copyright page reads 'First published 1978'.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Jonathan Cape edition (1978) precedes the US Simon & Schuster edition (1978).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions add a printing statement.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Cement Garden* by Ian McEwan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-cement-garden
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.