Herlands

Brought to you by Penguin. 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. 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 'Much-needed and compassionate' MARY ROBINSON 'Fascinating' DIPO FALOYIN 'A must-read' MARCUS RYDER © Megha Mohan 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026