We Who Are About To... (1977) Signed First Edition Reference

We Who Are About To… is Russ’s most radical novel — a deliberate subversion of the science fiction “crash landing” subgenre in which survivors of a spacecraft wreck must colonize an alien planet. Published by Dell in 1977, the novel features a narrator who recognizes that a handful of survivors without technology, resources, or realistic population genetics cannot sustain a colony — and who refuses to participate in the group’s fantasies of survival, particularly when those fantasies require women to serve as breeding stock.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Dell Books, New York Publication date: 1977 Format: Mass market paperback

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, very good: $100–$300
• Unsigned first edition: $15–$40

The novel was controversial — critics accused Russ of nihilism, and the book was widely discussed (and debated) within the science fiction community. Its reputation has grown substantially as feminist criticism has provided frameworks for understanding what Russ was doing. Signed copies are scarce due to Russ’s limited public presence.