The points of issue
Boards with gilt spine titling; copyright page reads 'First published 1987' (Cape used a printed first-published statement, not a number line); pictorial dust jacket using a detail from Leonardo's 'Virgin and Child with St Anne'. Whitbread Novel Award winner.
Is this the true first?
UK Cape (1987) precedes the US Houghton Mifflin edition (1987); the US printing is a separate first-thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later impressions add an impression statement; the US edition is a distinct issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Child in Time a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Boards with gilt spine titling; copyright page reads 'First published 1987' (Cape used a printed first-published statement, not a number line); pictorial dust jacket using a detail from Leonardo's 'Virgin and Child with St Anne'. Whitbread Novel Award winner.
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 Cape (1987) precedes the US Houghton Mifflin edition (1987); the US printing is a separate first-thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later impressions add an impression statement; the US edition is a distinct issue.
I have a first edition of The Child in Time — 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.