The points of issue
First UK edition, Jonathan Cape (London) 1991, stating 'First published 1991'. Olive/green cloth with gilt spine lettering in a pictorial dust jacket priced 13.99 pounds (an unclipped jacket retaining the price is preferred). 1991 Booker Prize winner.
Is this the true first?
UK Cape 1991 is the true first; the US edition (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, New York) 1992 followed.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No major book-club edition of note. The US edition is later and US-priced.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Famished Road a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First UK edition, Jonathan Cape (London) 1991, stating 'First published 1991'. Olive/green cloth with gilt spine lettering in a pictorial dust jacket priced 13.99 pounds (an unclipped jacket retaining the price is preferred). 1991 Booker Prize 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 1991 is the true first; the US edition (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, New York) 1992 followed.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No major book-club edition of note. The US edition is later and US-priced.
I have a first edition of The Famished Road — 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.