The Dispossessed (1974) Signed First Edition Reference

The Dispossessed won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards — Le Guin’s second double win after The Left Hand of Darkness. Published by Harper & Row in 1974, the novel follows Shevek, a physicist from the anarchist moon Anarres, who travels to the capitalist planet Urras. Subtitled “An Ambiguous Utopia,” the novel refuses to present either society as ideal, instead exploring the trade-offs inherent in every political system.

The Book

The novel’s alternating structure — chapters on Anarres and Urras in interleaving chronological order — mirrors its thematic commitment to seeing both sides. Le Guin’s anarchist Anarres is not a paradise: it is poor, conformist in its own way, and capable of stifling genius. But it offers genuine equality and communal purpose. The capitalist Urras is wealthy, beautiful, and intellectually vibrant — and built on exploitation. The novel’s genius is its refusal to resolve this tension.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Harper & Row, New York Publication date: 1974 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, fine/fine: $1,500–$4,000
• Unsigned first edition: $200–$500

The third great Le Guin trophy (after A Wizard of Earthsea and The Left Hand of Darkness). The novel’s political sophistication — neither pro-capitalist nor naively utopian — gives it enduring relevance.