The points of issue
London: Jonathan Cape, 2011. 2011 Booker Prize winner. Black cloth boards stamped in gilt to spine, black endpapers; first-issue dust jacket priced at twelve pounds ninety-nine net. The first printing carries the full Cape number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
The UK Jonathan Cape edition (2011) is the true first, preceding the US Knopf edition (2011).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
On later impressions the lower digits drop out of the number line; signed copies exist. The US Knopf edition carries a US-priced jacket and a US-convention number line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Sense of an Ending a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: London: Jonathan Cape, 2011. 2011 Booker Prize winner. Black cloth boards stamped in gilt to spine, black endpapers; first-issue dust jacket priced at twelve pounds ninety-nine net. The first printing carries the full Cape number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 on the copyright page.
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. The UK Jonathan Cape edition (2011) is the true first, preceding the US Knopf edition (2011).
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
On later impressions the lower digits drop out of the number line; signed copies exist. The US Knopf edition carries a US-priced jacket and a US-convention number line.
I have a first edition of The Sense of an Ending — 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.