“A Self-Possessed Woman” | White Fire (Pan Books, 1991)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. “A Self-Possessed Woman” in White Fire: More Tales of the Fantastic. Edited by Alberto Manguel. London: Pan Books, 1991. Pp. 941 + [1]. 19.6 x 12.8 cm.

Julian Barnes’s short story appears on pp. [444]-459. This is a Picador edition first published by Pan Books. First published in Canada in 1990.

Black Water 2 | “A Self-Possessed Woman” (Clarkson Potter, 1990)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. “A Self-Possessed Woman.” Black Water 2: More Tales of the Fantastic. Edited by Alberto Manguel. New York: Clarkson Potter, 1990. Pp. 941 + [7]. 19.7 x 13 cm. ISBN: 0517575590.

Julian Barnes’s story appears on pp. [444]-459.

“A Self-Possessed Woman” | The Times Anthology of Ghost Stories (Corgi Books, 1977)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. “A Self-Possessed Woman.” The Times Anthology of Ghost Stories. London: Corgi Books, 1977. Pp. 189 [190] + [2]. 17.8 x 11.1 cm. ISBN: 0552104744.

Julian Barnes’s short story appears on pp. 129-145.

First paperback edition of this anthology. The back cover lists the sales price for UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The Australian price of $2.00 is the “RECOMMENDED PRICE ONLY”, and the front cover features a price sticker of $2.50, thus suggesting the origin of sale within that country.

The book was first published by in hardback with dark green dust jacket (Jonathan Cape, 1975). Both editions published prior to Barnes’s first novel Metroland (Jonathan Cape, 1980). A German translation of this anthology also appeared in paperback (Bastei Lübbe, 1979).

The Times Anthology of Ghost Stories (Jonathan Cape, 1975)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. “A Self-Possessed Woman.” The Times Anthology of Ghost Stories. London: Jonathan Cape, 1975. Pp. 195 + [1]. 20.5 x 13.2 cm. ISBN: 0224011952.

Julian Barnes’s short story appears on pp. 132-149.

From a competition judged by Kingsley Amis, Patricia Highsmith and Christopher Lee. The Times sponsored the competition in conjunction with Jonathan Cape.

This constitutes Julian Barnes’s first book publication, as it was published five years before his first novel Metroland (Jonathan Cape, 1980). The book was published in hardback with dark green dust jacket. The top of the text block is stained yellow.

This edition was followed by a paperback edition (Corgi Books, 1977) and a German translation (Bastei Lübbe, 1979), also in paperback.

Below is pictured Julian Barnes’s advance copy sent to the author from his publisher Jonathan Cape. The copy bears Barnes’s personal ownership signature dated “MCMLXXV” [1975].