A7
Ian McEwan – or Shall We Die?
a. UK Edition
1. First Edition
Jonathan Cape. Published February 1983. Hardback. White endpapers, half-title, title, [i], 14 pages numbered 7-20 (introduction by Ian McEwan), [i], 10 pages numbered 23-32. Pages 215mm x 135mm. Avocado green cloth boards; down spine in gilt: ‘IAN McEWAN OR SHALL WE DIE? (Cape logo)’. ISBN 0-224-02947-9.
Dustjacket. 477mm x 223mm. Front: Vanilla paper with in grey: ‘or | SHALL WE | DIE?’, and at the bottom in black ‘IAN McEWAN’. Price on front flap £4.95.
Note 1: Ian McEwan wrote the libretto in this book for an oratorio composed by Michael Berkeley. At that the time Deborah Rogers, the wife of Berkeley, was McEwan’s literary agent.
Note 2: The oratorio was first performed by the London Symphony Orchestra at Festival Hall on 6th February 1983 and was broadcast later that evening on BBC Radio 3.
Note 2: A few copies were signed by both McEwan and Berkeley to the title page.
2. National Peace Book Week Edition
Jonathan Cape. Published 1983. Hardback. White endpapers, half-title, title, [i], 14 pages numbered 7-20 (introduction by Ian McEwan), [i], 10 pages numbered 23-32. Pages 215mm x 135mm. Avocado green cloth boards; down spine in gilt: ‘IAN McEWAN OR SHALL WE DIE? (Cape logo)’. ISBN 0-224-02947-9.
Dustjacket. 481mm x 221mm. Front: Albion Rose (‘Glad Day’) by William Blake with above in red: ‘or SHALL WE DIE?’, below in red ‘IAN McEWAN’, and in black ‘A National Peace Book Week Choice’. Price on front flap £2.95.
Note: The book is exactly the same for both the First and Peace editions. The dustjackets are different.
See photos below.
