The Dean's December (1982) Signed First Edition Reference

The Dean’s December (1982) follows Albert Corde, a Chicago journalist turned university dean, who accompanies his Romanian-born wife to Bucharest, where her mother is dying. The novel alternates between the two cities — Bucharest under Ceausescu’s repressive regime and Chicago consumed by racial violence and urban decay — creating a dual portrait of civilizational failure in both communist Eastern Europe and capitalist America. Published by Harper & Row (Bellow’s first novel with this publisher after decades with Viking), the novel is Bellow’s most somber work and his most explicit engagement with the political dimension of urban life.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Harper & Row, New York Publication date: 1982 Format: Hardcover, 312 pages First printing indicator: “First edition” or number line with “1” on copyright page

Signed Copy Values

• Flat-signed: $300–$800
• Inscribed: $500–$1,500

Mid-range pricing. The novel was not a commercial success — it is the least-read of Bellow’s major novels — and its sober tone and political preoccupations limited its popular appeal. Critical opinion has been divided, with some readers finding it among Bellow’s most penetrating works and others judging it heavy-handed.

Market Notes

Affordable mid-tier acquisition. The publisher change from Viking to Harper & Row is bibliographically notable. Signed copies are available with moderate frequency from specialist dealers and at auction.