I Hate Men

By: Pauline Harmange, Natasha Lehrer - translator

Narrated by: Emily Lucienne

Length: 1 hr and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

The feminist book they tried to ban in France.

Women, especially feminists and lesbians, have long been accused of hating men. Our instinct is to deny it at all costs. (After all, women have been burnt at the stake for admitting to less.)

But what if mistrusting men, disliking men - and yes, maybe even hating men - is, in fact, a useful response to sexism? What if such a response offers a way out of oppression, a means of resistance? What if it even offers a path to joy, solidarity and sisterhood?

In this sparkling essay, as mischievous and provocative as it is urgent and serious, Pauline Harmange interrogates modern attitudes to feminism and makes a rallying cry for women to find a greater love for each other - and themselves.

©2020 Pauline Harmange (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"Written in wise prose, devoid of excess or rage, I Hate Men explores the terrain of contemporary feminism, its arguments in keeping with those of writers like Rebecca Solnit, as well as the movement's key ideas: patriarchy, the mental load, #MeToo and solidarity." (L’Obs)

"A delightful book." (Roxane Gay)

"A good book, written from a burning heart but with a cool head." (The Times)

Fantastic book!

Don't be put off by the title, which can sound a little harsh. The author uses statistics and well thought-out ideas to discuss feminist topics, while also explaining that she loves her husband and other men in her life. It's very pro-woman without being a male-bashing, negative diatribe about men; it's not polarizing in that way. I found it very inspiring and illuminating, and the writing is clear and entertaining.

Brilliant essay!

Don’t hesitate to purchase because it’s short. Very well written and researched. No wasted words!

She’s right…

This book made the point that so many women have been trying to. Yes there are good men, but on a global scale throughout history men have been horrible. And it makes sense to hate your oppressor.

Misandry is not misogyny

What a great listen. The idea comes up: what would women be if they could realize their true potential, a condition that could only be possible without men’s feet on our throats. Brilliant, well written and thought provoking. Long live feminism!

Beautiful and bold

This woman has so much courage. Everything that an “aware” woman has thought, and felt ashamed for thinking, (thank you patriarchy) has been solidified and made right in this book. Hating men is natural when a woman can not walk at night without fear. Hating men is natural when the inequality is slapped in our face on a daily basis. I am white and privileged, and feel the effects of inequality so much, can you not acknowledge the pain of a woman of color? Of a little girl of color? This book is a war cry, and it rallied me. This is deeper than women hating men.

A changed man

Im a man who just realized how stupid I am lol. This book describes male fallibility to a scary degree. Im truly surprised to say that women are right, I never truly believed women’s equality was a problem. Women need to keep fighting because men need to change.

Thank you Pauline!!

Your book has helped me explain how I feel about men. My new favorite book. I look forward to discovering more work from Pauline Harmange. I can't find the words to describe how this book made me feel like I wasn't crazy.

Great book every woman and man should read

Great storytelling based on stats and analysis! It also calls out gender bias that subtly embedded in daily life and easily ignored as they are too common.

Well Done

I enjoyed listening to this, as I have wondered about many of these same things all my life.

Fantastique!

I listened to the sample first and there was so much truth in what she was saying that I had to listen to the entire essay. A mediocre man gets so much attention in this world, a woman exerting worlds of effort, very little. Men perpetrate most of the violence that damages society and individuals. In general, they do not seem to be able to gain much insight into their actions and motivations. It’s high time that we women stop giving them a pass for exploitative behavior, arrogance and egotism just because they are men. She nails it. And why not call it misandry? What else would you call it when struggling against the abusive behavior of half the human race?

I differ with just one thing she said: she is clearly making an exception for men that are not cis —heterosexual. I don’t think that’s correct. It’s not just cisgender men that participate in the patriarchy. They all benefit from it and participate to one extent or another.

It interesting that this book created such a firestorm in the press. What did she say that was so terrible?