Herland

An all-female society is discovered by three male explorers who are forced to re-examine their gender bias in this humorous utopian classic from the author of The Yellow Wallpaper. ''But they look - why, this is a CIVILIZED country!' I protested. 'There must be men.'' Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 1915 utopian novel Herland was a ground breaking work, in which she created an imaginary community populated entirely by women. An early feminist, writing the pioneering The Yellow Wallpaper, she paved the way for female writers and influenced authors such as Margaret Atwood. When three friends, Vandyck Jennings (the narrator), Terry Nicholson and Jeff Margrave, set off on a scientific expedition to one of the last uncharted parts of the globe, little do they suspect what they will unearth. Hidden up high in the mountains they discover Herland - a country the size of Holland made up exclusively of around three million women - strong, intelligent, confident women. Within their rich land, the inhabitants of Herland have created their perfect society and have been able to eradicate crime, poverty, disease and war. Forced to face their prejudices and beliefs, the three men each come to their own conclusions as they are kept in gentle captivity. But the end of the tale will bring very different destinies to all three men - and Herland risks being changed forever.