Cover of I Who Have Never Known Men

I Who Have Never Known Men

by Jacqueline Harpman, Ros Schwartz

4.2
(1,068 ratings)
208 pages46 editions2022Transit BooksISBN 9786171517448

About this book

As the burn of electric light merges day into night and numberless years pass, a young girl—the fortieth prisoner—sits alone and outcast in the corner. Soon she will show herself to be the key to the others' escape and survival in the strange world that awaits them above ground. Jacqueline Harpman was born in Etterbeek, Belgium, in 1929, and fled to Casablanca with her family during WWII. Informed by her background as a psychoanalyst and her youth in exile, I Who Have Never Known Men is a haunting, heartbreaking post-apocalyptic novel of female friendship and intimacy, and the lengths people will go to maintain their humanity in the face of devastation. Back in print for the first time since 1997, Harpman’s modern classic is an important addition to the growing canon of feminist speculative literature.

Publication Details

Publisher
Transit Books
Published
2022
Pages
208
ISBN
9786171517448
Language
en
Editions
46

Community Reviews

phil★★★★6/27/2026

** I Who Have Never Known Men was deeply unsatisfying in the best way.** I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the plot was so unresolved, but still came away enjoying the story so thoroughly. At the end of the day, it’s really about relationships, humanity, and navigating the world with curiosity and despair.

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capope★★★★★3/19/2026

<div>I’m not someone who struggles to give out five stars to a book I enjoy. In my mind, five stars can mean a lot of different things. For this book, it means ‘Wow’ and ‘I can’t wait to read this again.’ The afterword says this is a book that doesn’t reveal its secrets, even upon rereading, but I feel like I have to try. I know for a fact I didn’t catch every meaningful detail or phrase, so I look forward to the next time I pick it up off my shelf.</div>

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