The Porcupine | Uncorrected Proof (Jonathan Cape, 1992)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. The Porcupine. London: Jonathan Cape, 1992. Pp. 139 + [1]. 20.2 x 13.6 cm.

Uncorrected Proof in stiff white card wrappers reproducing dust jacket illustration in black and white. Lettered in black, except for ‘UNCORRECTED PROOF’ in white along bottom of front cover. 

Provisional UK Publication date of 5 November 1992 at a provisional price of £9.99.

 

Letters from London | Uncorrected Proof (Vintage International, 1995)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. Letters from London. New York: Vintage International, 1995. Pp. 311 + [5]. 20.3 x 13.1 cm. Uncorrected Proof in light blue wraps with black lettering. 

Tentative publication date set for July 26, 1995, with a tentative price of $13.00.

Staring at the Sun | Uncorrected Proof (Jonathan Cape, 1986)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. Staring at the Sun. London: Jonathan Cape, 1986. Pp. 195 + [1]. 20.6 x 13.8 cm. Uncorrected Proof in brown, white and orange pictorial wraps. Image is similar to the final dust jacket. White lettering, except ‘UNCORRECTED PROOF’ in black along bottom.

Provisional U.K. publication date set for 18 September 1986, for a provisional price of £9.95.

In the Land of Pain | Uncorrected Proof (Alfred A. Knopf, 2002)


Notes on this edition: Alphonse Daudet. In the Land of Pain. Translated by Julian Barnes. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. Pp. 87 + [3]. 18.5 x 13 cm.

Uncorrected Proof in lavendar wraps with black lettering. Publication information and the statement, ‘THIS IS AN UNCORRECTED PROOF’ on bottom of front cover. Preliminary publication date set for 16 January 2003. Title page lists date as ‘2002’. Dust jacket art reproduced on first page. (18.5 x 12.9 cm).

 

 

Cross Channel | Uncorrected Proof (Jonathan Cape, 1996)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. Cross Channel: Stories. London: Jonathan Cape, 1996. Pp. 211 + [1]. 20.3 x 13.3 cm. ISBN: 0224043013.

Uncorrected Proof in cream card wraps with black and red lettering. Designed to resemble a traditional French Gallimard paperback edition. ‘JONATHAN CAPE UNCORRECTED BOOK PROOF’ in black along bottom of upper panel. Limited to 500 copies with the numbering to the first sheet.

An unknown number of copies of this uncorrected proof were printed without the limitation line. The assumption is that this print run was extremely low and was supplied to in-house employees only, rather than reviewers. A copy of this proof, with a lengthy inscription from Julian Barnes, is in his bibliographer’s private collection.

The Sense of an Ending | Uncorrected Proof (Jonathan Cape, 2011)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. The Sense of an Ending. London: Jonathan Cape, 2011. Pp. 150 + [4]. 19.9 x 12.9 cm. Proof ISBN: 9780224096126.

Uncorrected proof in paper covers with ruled paper imagery. “The Sense of | an Ending” in dark red lettering and “Julian | Barnes | WINNER OF THE DAVID COHEN PRIZE FOR LITERATURE 2011” in black near the bottom of the front cover. Proof ISBN stated to back cover: 9780224096126

Love, etc. | Uncorrected Proof (Alfred A. Knopf, 2001)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. Love, etc. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2001. Pp. 224 + [8]. 21.2 x 13.9 cm.

Advance Reader’s Proof in cream wraps with black and red lettering, as in the first American edition. Upper panel includes the statement, ‘ADVANCE READER’S EDITION’. Publication information on lower panel. Title listed as, ‘Love, etc.’ [full stop]. 

This proof was printed for wider distribution than Knopf’s in-house, red proof.

Talking It Over | Uncorrected Proof (Alfred A. Knopf, 1991)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. Talking It Over. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1991. Pp. 273 + [1]. 19.9 x 13.5 cm.

Uncorrected proof in light blue paper covers. As a promotional item, Knopf produced a separate, white proof signed by Julian Barnes that was housed in a black paper “box sleeve”. The proof presented here is the standard proof that precedes the special proof.

Shown in the photos are three versions of the uncorrected proof. The first is a standard copy without markings. Another is the printer’s or “Press Copy”, which features printing information on the cover and text block indicating the color of paper to be used while printing the proofs. Written on the text block in ballpoint ink is “50 wh. | Blue Regular | Train”, suggesting the color that should be used for the paper covers. On the paper cover is written, “press copy | 91-778 | choo choo”, the “choo choo” suggesting “Train”, as written on the text block. In addition, the date on which the proofs were printed is written on the spine as “5-8-91”.

The third version presented here is a copy prepared for distribution to reviewers. The original provisional publication date and price have been covered over with a white slip of paper taped to the cover. In addition, three pages of advertisements have been stapled to the inside front cover.

Pulse | Final Uncorrected Proof (Jonathan Cape, 2010)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. Pulse. London: Jonathan Cape, 2010. Pp. 228 + [6]. 21 x 14.8 cm.

Final Uncorrected Proof with lengthy inscription by Julian Barnes stating: “the first proof run to be bound up was suppressed because of authorial complaint at the myriad errors. A very few of the final (or near-final) corrected proofs were later bound up, of which this is one”.

Note: The inscription has been edited to remove part of the personalized dedication.

Pulse | Uncorrected Proof (Jonathan Cape, 2010; Pulped edition)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. Pulse. London: Jonathan Cape, 2010. Pp. 228 + [4]. 21.6 x 13.4 cm.

First Uncorrected Proof in decorative covers. When Jonathan Cape produced the uncorrected proof of Pulse, the text included enough errors that Julian Barnes asked the publisher to “pulp” or destroy the proof edition. Cape produced a subsequent, corrected and unbound proof for use within the publishing house and by the author while making his final revisions to the text. The author and publisher spared the specimen featured here specifically for inclusion in the Julian Barnes bibliography.