I Who Have Never Known Men Audiobook By Jacqueline Harpman cover art

I Who Have Never Known Men

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Deep underground, 39 women live imprisoned in a cage. Watched over by guards, the women have no memory of how they got there, no notion of time, and only a vague recollection of their lives before.

As the burn of electric light merges day into night and numberless years pass, a young girl—the 40th 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.

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, Jacqueline Harpman’s modern classic is an important addition to the growing canon of feminist speculative literature.

This audio edition of I Who Have Never Known Men is expertly read by Nikki Massoud, a listener favorite. Produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.

©1997, 2019 Ros Schwartz (P)2024 Echo Point Books & Media, LLC

Accolades & Awards

#BookTok
#BookTok Emotionally Gripping Dystopian Science Fiction Literary Fiction Thought-Provoking Heartfelt Genre Fiction
Thought-provoking Premise • Philosophical Depth • Exceptional Narration • Unique Protagonist • Unique Dystopian Setting

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This is a perplexing story of cruelty and love that perseveres through all. The narrator and the voice that brought them to life are heart wrenching and at the same time heart warming. So very well done. And such a timeless tale.

Phenomally bleak and so full of life

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Wonderful narration and truly captivating story. You will have more questions than answers by the end!

Excellent!

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The narration is excellent. The length of the book is not overly long, but it keeps you engaged throughout the story. The story itself is very interesting and original. The only caveat to this book is that if you like closure and a concrete backstory, then this book is not for you. You will need to be comfortable with ambiguity because the premise of this book is philosophical in nature, but still worth listening to.

Very Underrated

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"I was forced to acknowledge too late, much too late, that I too had loved, that I was capable of suffering, and that I was human after all."

This book tosses you at the feet of your humanity in a disorientating landscape. The memories of the narrator push the reader to experience love, hardship, strength, courage, and human tenderness. It forces you to question how much of our humanity is left when all is stripped away. This was beautifully thought provoking and devastating.

Beautifully thought provoking

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I just loved this book. It brought me back to my childhood and learning the ways of the world. Even though the narrator is in a dystopian world, she is completely relatable and the trauma she experiences make her who she is without her ever really realizing it. I was entirely enthralled during the entire book. Completely captivating

Utterly unendingly thoughtful.

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