I Who Have Never Known Men

“My memory begins with anger.”
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What does it mean to be human in a world where you’ve been deprived of what connects us most to humanity? In “I Who Have Never Known Men”, an unnamed narrator walks alongside this question as she emerges from the underground prison in which she has spent her entire life.

I was largely inspired by social media to read this book, and I’m glad that I did—it inspired many thoughts and questions that I’m still grappling with. I did enjoy the earlier chapters (which reminded me on “Piranesi”) more than the latter part of the narrative, but overall this will be a book I won’t soon forget.

We'll with and interesting concept, but wow is it dated in so many ways. Cannot believe this is being hyped by the younger generation. Despite being written in the 1990's, this is classic second wave feminism ( as you might expect from an author who lived through WWII). Intense classist elitism, heteronormative (despite various references to lesbian sex, it is framed as making do, rather than joyous or primary), and surprisingly sexist. Gender, age, education, and motherhood status are the only descriptions of these women. The cultures of their origin is homogenous, but nondescript. The civilization they form is overlooked and dismissed. There is no suggestion that some women might be perfectly happy to live in a world without men. There is almost no music, no art, minimal story telling. How do 40 humans with all their essential needs met live for decades without getting more creative? I cannot know what it was like to live thru life in concentration camps, losing family to them, and fleeing one's home to escape that fate, as this author experienced. Those experiences are alive in this book. Questions of difference, isolation, love and loneliness, identity, and sexuality are touched on in fascinating ways. Sadly, the analysis feels flat, without layers or intersectionality.

Amazing. Everyone should read this book, it is so profound and incredible. You’ll feel every emotion reading this book. Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful.

The story follows a woman who is one of a 40 survivors in a post-apocalyptic world, where she has lived in isolation in a bunker for many years. As the narrative unfolds, she reflects on her life, her relationships with other women in the bunker, and her longing to know what lies beyond their confined existence. The novel explores themes of gender, identity, and human connection, delving into what it means to be human in a world stripped of societal norms and expectations. The protagonist's journey toward self-discovery and her quest for understanding the male gender play significant roles in the narrative, making it both a personal and philosophical exploration.

Like Lord of the Flies if it were all women, which is to say they did a really good job.