What do you think?
Rate this book
Herlands: Lessons From Societies Where Women Make the Rules
A landmark exploration of women-led communities worldwide and what they can teach us about new ways to live, think and govern, from BBC global correspondent Megha Mohan.
'An inspiration for the future' GLORIA STEINEM
'Thoroughly researched and intelligently reported' THE TIMES
'Much-needed and compassionate' MARY ROBINSON
'Fascinating' DIPO FALOYIN
'A must-read' MARCUS RYDER
Society isn’t working for women - or any of us.
But what if the rules were different?
Imagine a world in which women have all the power. A world in which they work together to shape their societies and their futures.
In reality, women's communities have always existed, and continue to thrive. In this vital and ground-breaking book, Megha Mohan goes in search of their roots, discovering a vibrant global history, brought together here for the first time. She also takes us into today's women-led spaces, where women live on their own terms, showing us how we can rethink society for new ways of living, working and collaborating.
Through extensive research and exclusive first-hand reporting and inspired by her great-grandmother’s own matrilineal community in South India, Mohan introduces us to fascinating and diverse groups of women. From the controversial feminist online trolls of South Korea to older women co-housing in Paris and North London and the Rain Queens of South Africa, this is a truly global look at women's community.
Essential reading for anyone interested in our collective histories, cultures, economics and governance, Herlands shows the power and possibility of new ways of living - and leading - for us all.
'An inspiration for the future' GLORIA STEINEM
'Thoroughly researched and intelligently reported' THE TIMES
'Much-needed and compassionate' MARY ROBINSON
'Fascinating' DIPO FALOYIN
'A must-read' MARCUS RYDER
Society isn’t working for women - or any of us.
But what if the rules were different?
Imagine a world in which women have all the power. A world in which they work together to shape their societies and their futures.
In reality, women's communities have always existed, and continue to thrive. In this vital and ground-breaking book, Megha Mohan goes in search of their roots, discovering a vibrant global history, brought together here for the first time. She also takes us into today's women-led spaces, where women live on their own terms, showing us how we can rethink society for new ways of living, working and collaborating.
Through extensive research and exclusive first-hand reporting and inspired by her great-grandmother’s own matrilineal community in South India, Mohan introduces us to fascinating and diverse groups of women. From the controversial feminist online trolls of South Korea to older women co-housing in Paris and North London and the Rain Queens of South Africa, this is a truly global look at women's community.
Essential reading for anyone interested in our collective histories, cultures, economics and governance, Herlands shows the power and possibility of new ways of living - and leading - for us all.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
353 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 5, 2026
Ich liebs! Ein sehr wertvolles Buch für ein Neu-, Anders- und Umdenken von Gemeinschaft und Lebensraum mit soo vielen tollen Projekten aus Vergangenheit und Gegenwart von FLINTA*s, die mich unglaublich inspiriert haben. Dazu wunderbar geschrieben, in einem flüssig zu lesendem Mix aus autobiografischer Erzählung, Fakten, Interviews, Erfahrungsberichten und politischen Einordnungen. Große Empfehlung!!
July 3, 2026
More accurate rating: 7/10.
Notes from my Reading Log:
Did I learn new, and interesting things reading this book? Yes, but I think it should have been written by a better, more scholarly, and certainly more intellectually rigorous author. With a clearer thematic vision as well, because as it stands, this book's stated topic is more of a loose, patchwork proposition than anything else – which is very much to its detriment. Like... I thought this book would talk about contemporary matrifocal societies (a reasonable guess given the freaking title), but that's not really the case at all. And so yes, there's a clear lack of intellectual rigour, like I said, no establishment of clear, working definitions for various concepts, a rather loose usage of language overall, really, and a mishmash approach to sourcing and citation work I'm just not a fan of... and that's without going into the glaring misrepresentation and hand-waving of concerns surrounding female, single-sex spaces more broadly. I am very done with pop non-fiction written by journalists, that's for sure!
Notes from my Reading Log:
Did I learn new, and interesting things reading this book? Yes, but I think it should have been written by a better, more scholarly, and certainly more intellectually rigorous author. With a clearer thematic vision as well, because as it stands, this book's stated topic is more of a loose, patchwork proposition than anything else – which is very much to its detriment. Like... I thought this book would talk about contemporary matrifocal societies (a reasonable guess given the freaking title), but that's not really the case at all. And so yes, there's a clear lack of intellectual rigour, like I said, no establishment of clear, working definitions for various concepts, a rather loose usage of language overall, really, and a mishmash approach to sourcing and citation work I'm just not a fan of... and that's without going into the glaring misrepresentation and hand-waving of concerns surrounding female, single-sex spaces more broadly. I am very done with pop non-fiction written by journalists, that's for sure!
May 7, 2026
A gripping read - each of the stories from around the world was so deeply researched and reported, and I really enjoyed how the author showed aspects of her approach and interview techniques along the way. I particularly loved the favela chapter and how the characters of the young women were painted. The book me think about the world differently, and feel some hope for the future!
July 19, 2026
3,5/5
Very interesting, though flawed in some places.
I congratulate the author for stressing the need for women-only spaces. Spaces where women can be together without male interference, bond together and speak freely.
The value of this book is also that it teaches us that other models of human organisation exist. Patriarchy is neither natural, nor unescapable. I loved discovering the tharavad, for instance. I was also admirative of the women of Megalia, Maré and the Babayagas among others.
However, some chapters were out of place. Discussing El-Samaha would have been interesting in another context. But it's not a place where women make the rules. Supershe doesn't exist anymore... It would have been better to showcase cultures like the Mosuo or Minangkabau for instance.
The author talked with as many people as possible and immersed herself in the places she visited. She most of the time tries to be nuanced.
Except when she needs to remind that, even though she talks about women-only spaces, she is a Good Person™ in a liberal progressive way.
Thus, she becomes extremely judgemental and critical regarding the Michfest for instance, a lesbian festival. She never considers the other side of the matter and the concerned women's point of view. She doesn't discuss why some people feel the need to force their way into women's spaces to the point that it threatens women's safety (women's sports and women's prisons).
She used some cultures as proof of "gender fluidity". I'm sorry, but these cultures having a specific word for effeminate gay men and implying that gay men=women isn't the gotcha that you think it is. More often than not, it is associated with the devaluation of women and their roles. Without strict gender roles, there would be need for fluidity (I'm thinking about the sworn virgins in Albania, who are the product of a violent patriarchal structure). "Third genders" actually reinforce the binary.
Besides, these people certainly know how to differentiate men from women. She later tells us that in the Pacific, women's participation in politics is inferior to the rest of the world. It seems the fluidity only goes one way...
Also, it feels jarring after mentioning menstrual huts and other sex-based violence. These women aren't oppressed on the basis of gender identity. After all, if they were, they could just opt-out, right?
Some mistakes as well, like pretending that Spartan women (a tiny privileged elite) 'thrived' in their spaces. Or quoting Silvia Frederici. Her theories have been debunked a thousand times.
Very interesting, though flawed in some places.
I congratulate the author for stressing the need for women-only spaces. Spaces where women can be together without male interference, bond together and speak freely.
The value of this book is also that it teaches us that other models of human organisation exist. Patriarchy is neither natural, nor unescapable. I loved discovering the tharavad, for instance. I was also admirative of the women of Megalia, Maré and the Babayagas among others.
However, some chapters were out of place. Discussing El-Samaha would have been interesting in another context. But it's not a place where women make the rules. Supershe doesn't exist anymore... It would have been better to showcase cultures like the Mosuo or Minangkabau for instance.
The author talked with as many people as possible and immersed herself in the places she visited. She most of the time tries to be nuanced.
Except when she needs to remind that, even though she talks about women-only spaces, she is a Good Person™ in a liberal progressive way.
Thus, she becomes extremely judgemental and critical regarding the Michfest for instance, a lesbian festival. She never considers the other side of the matter and the concerned women's point of view. She doesn't discuss why some people feel the need to force their way into women's spaces to the point that it threatens women's safety (women's sports and women's prisons).
She used some cultures as proof of "gender fluidity". I'm sorry, but these cultures having a specific word for effeminate gay men and implying that gay men=women isn't the gotcha that you think it is. More often than not, it is associated with the devaluation of women and their roles. Without strict gender roles, there would be need for fluidity (I'm thinking about the sworn virgins in Albania, who are the product of a violent patriarchal structure). "Third genders" actually reinforce the binary.
Besides, these people certainly know how to differentiate men from women. She later tells us that in the Pacific, women's participation in politics is inferior to the rest of the world. It seems the fluidity only goes one way...
Also, it feels jarring after mentioning menstrual huts and other sex-based violence. These women aren't oppressed on the basis of gender identity. After all, if they were, they could just opt-out, right?
Some mistakes as well, like pretending that Spartan women (a tiny privileged elite) 'thrived' in their spaces. Or quoting Silvia Frederici. Her theories have been debunked a thousand times.
May 8, 2026
Herlands: Lessons From Societies Where Women Make the Rules by Megha Mohan is a deeply researched and thought provoking exploration of women led communities across the world. The book blends journalism, anthropology, and storytelling to show how different societies function when women are at the centre of social, economic, and cultural life.
Mohan travels through a wide range of real world examples from matrilineal traditions in South India to co housing communities in Europe and women led spaces in South Korea and South Africa. She shows that alternative social structures are not just theoretical but already exist.
What makes the book powerful is its balance between optimism and realism. It does not romanticise women only spaces but instead examines their strengths, tensions, and limitations with honesty. The author’s background as a BBC journalist adds depth, credibility, and a strong investigative lens to every chapter.
Overall, Herlands is insightful, compassionate, and intellectually stimulating. It challenges the reader to rethink assumptions about leadership, power, and community. It is especially compelling for anyone interested in gender, sociology, or social change.
In short, it is a fresh, global, and well researched book that opens up new ways of imagining society beyond traditional structures.
Mohan travels through a wide range of real world examples from matrilineal traditions in South India to co housing communities in Europe and women led spaces in South Korea and South Africa. She shows that alternative social structures are not just theoretical but already exist.
What makes the book powerful is its balance between optimism and realism. It does not romanticise women only spaces but instead examines their strengths, tensions, and limitations with honesty. The author’s background as a BBC journalist adds depth, credibility, and a strong investigative lens to every chapter.
Overall, Herlands is insightful, compassionate, and intellectually stimulating. It challenges the reader to rethink assumptions about leadership, power, and community. It is especially compelling for anyone interested in gender, sociology, or social change.
In short, it is a fresh, global, and well researched book that opens up new ways of imagining society beyond traditional structures.
April 6, 2026
I have always loved science fiction or fantasy books where women are equal to men or societies are women led or focussed. So Herlands really appealed to me – a book looking at women led or women exclusive societies and how this may work for women in the future.
The book is well researched and full of detail, with the author personally visiting many of these women only societies and sometimes with some peril to her safety. The author doesn’t hide the difficulties some of these women face or the fact that some of these enclaves are still run by men. She also explores how pollical and religious changes can affect these havens as well.
This is a truly global book ,exploring women living in villages in South India to farms in rural US and building blocks in Paris to the virtually online community of women in South Korea.
I loved the author’s own reflection on her own experience- she was unaware of her own matrilineal heritage and the fact het great -grandmother gave this up for her love.
Despite the detail, I found this an enjoyable and easy read that was thought provoking.
The book is well researched and full of detail, with the author personally visiting many of these women only societies and sometimes with some peril to her safety. The author doesn’t hide the difficulties some of these women face or the fact that some of these enclaves are still run by men. She also explores how pollical and religious changes can affect these havens as well.
This is a truly global book ,exploring women living in villages in South India to farms in rural US and building blocks in Paris to the virtually online community of women in South Korea.
I loved the author’s own reflection on her own experience- she was unaware of her own matrilineal heritage and the fact het great -grandmother gave this up for her love.
Despite the detail, I found this an enjoyable and easy read that was thought provoking.
April 21, 2026
This is an exceptional read. Megha gives us depth and breadth in these women's stories and got really under the skin of their experiences.
It was refreshing to read from a more nuanced and empathetic perspective. Many of the books I've read over the years on gender, sociology, activism etc has come from a very 'white feminist' perspective and has left me cold with their judgment and condescension. Megha approaches her contributors and situations with understanding and comes across as really wanting to give their side of the story - irrespective of whether you agree with it or not. It's a proper case of ' the reader can make their own minds up' rather than trying to force any one type of opinion or ideology down the reader's throat.
An original book that I will keep on my very small shelf because it's one that offers me new ideas to chew over.
It was refreshing to read from a more nuanced and empathetic perspective. Many of the books I've read over the years on gender, sociology, activism etc has come from a very 'white feminist' perspective and has left me cold with their judgment and condescension. Megha approaches her contributors and situations with understanding and comes across as really wanting to give their side of the story - irrespective of whether you agree with it or not. It's a proper case of ' the reader can make their own minds up' rather than trying to force any one type of opinion or ideology down the reader's throat.
An original book that I will keep on my very small shelf because it's one that offers me new ideas to chew over.
July 9, 2026
A beautiful, deeply inviting book. I came across a rather pompous review on this page that, if anything, only reaffirmed why Herlands needs to exist.
Too much women-led non-fiction has been shaped by elitism and quiet gatekeeping - who gets to speak, whose stories are deemed rigorous, whose voices are taken seriously.
Here, a journalist brings rare, hard-won access to communities most readers would never encounter. And still, there’s a reflex to diminish that work.
It tells you far more about the world we’re in than it does about the book itself.
Too much women-led non-fiction has been shaped by elitism and quiet gatekeeping - who gets to speak, whose stories are deemed rigorous, whose voices are taken seriously.
Here, a journalist brings rare, hard-won access to communities most readers would never encounter. And still, there’s a reflex to diminish that work.
It tells you far more about the world we’re in than it does about the book itself.
May 7, 2026
Herlands by Megha Mohan was an eye opener for me. The author has visited and researched women only communities across the globe & time.For some a world without men ruling & shaping our everyday lives is unimaginable. Yet she has shown us through studying these groups that it is possible and they do exist.Her style of writing makes it a pleasure to read. Highly recommend this book for both men & women to read.
May 23, 2026
What a gorgeous book. I loved delving into each of the different communities with the author and really felt like I had been on an adventure with her. The story of the author's own experiences while researching this book and her family ties to one of the communities really made it all the more engaging. This book is enlightening, entertaining and inspirational.
April 25, 2026
Really thought provoking and interesting.
June 29, 2026
Scrupulously researched, arresting, empowering - I couldn't put it down. May we all find our Herlands.
July 18, 2026
A well written book, the author makes a point to look at both sides. The lack of sensationalism was refreshing.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews