The White Plague (1982) Signed First Edition Reference

The White Plague is Herbert’s bioterrorism thriller. Published by Putnam in 1982, the novel follows a molecular biologist who, driven insane by the murder of his family in an IRA bombing, creates a genetically engineered plague that kills only women. The novel explores the consequences of biological warfare and the fragility of civilization when its fundamental demographics are altered.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York Publication date: 1982 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, fine/fine: $75–$200
• Unsigned first edition: $10–$25

The novel’s premise — a lone scientist weaponizing genetic engineering — has become more rather than less plausible since 1982. The White Plague is Herbert’s most prescient non-Dune work, exploring the intersection of grief, technology, and mass destruction with characteristic rigor.