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3.0 

Herland

By Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman digital book - Fable

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Publisher Description

Three male explorers set out to reach a legendary land where only women live, and find—to their surprise—that the legends are true. This country hidden in the mountains is a feminist utopia. There are no men, nor is there war, poverty, or crime. The residents subsist on food from cultivated forests, maintain immaculate houses and roads, and reproduce asexually through parthenogenesis. Although the main characters are men, their role is to show us how their notions about society and womanhood are humorously upturned.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was an outspoken activist and suffragist, most famous nowadays for her short story “The Yellow Wallpaper.” As a writer, she was stunningly prolific. She founded The Forerunner, a monthly magazine for which she personally wrote every article, story, and poem. Because she chose to run no advertisements, she covered the cost of printing the magazine herself. In contrast to many women’s publications of the day, Gilman advocated for equal rights and expanded social roles for women.

Originally published serially in The Forerunner in 1915, Herland was not republished as a standalone work until decades later. It is the second in Gilman’s Utopian trilogy, along with Moving the Mountain and With Her in Ourland.

588 Reviews

3.0
Thinking Face“Not much plot in this book. It was more of a reflection and commentary on the patriarchal world, with the author using the women of Herland as mouthpieces to question and criticise. Similar to the narrator, I felt embarrassed and frustrated to belong in a society that prioritised values other than improving the lives of future generations and/or the collective happiness and health of all current people. The all-women utopia described by Charlotte Perkins Gilman sounds like a wonder to live in. The asexuality particularly appealed to me. Though the reason why Gilman included this aspect seems to me to be an outdated concept of feminist thinking that is still routed in some kind of misogyny. Namely, a rejection of sexual behaviour and engaging in such activity makes women less attractive or respectable. This book has some other outdated ideas and to me, being able to identify them led to further reflection about assumptions regarding gender. The questions posed to the three men which left them spluttering and fumbling for at least, graceful denials and redirections had me contemplating the origins of our current social, political and religious realities. It made many ideas I understood as fact or very close to it, seem so silly to have ever believed or accepted without further reflection. This book has value for those who’ve rarely questioned the state of society and would like to begin so, as well as, those on the opposite side of the spectrum, people who’ve done so numerous times and would still like to scrutinise the foundations of civilisation through a very unique lens. Though of course, conscious and mindful reading is required, as stated previously, some concepts lauded in this book as valuable and praiseworthy are outdated and leave a bad taste in the mouth. Think for yourself on every concept brought up and debated. No character should be treated as omniscient, even if they are portrayed to be wise and speak with eloquence.”
Thinking Face“I society of only women - I’ve often wondered about what that just be like, how different things would be in comparison to our reality. I found the novel to be quite thought provoking and fascinating and I was engrossed from page one.”
Thumbs Up“How interesting that a country where women are people first and female second is the basis for a fictional utopia! And how disheartening that some of the struggles mentioned are still issues for women today.”

About Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Charlotte Perkins Gilman (née Perkins; July 3, 1860 – August 17, 1935), also known as Charlotte Perkins Stetson, her first married name, was an American humanist, novelist, writer of short stories, poetry and nonfiction, and a lecturer for social reform. She was a utopian feminist and served as a role model for future generations of feminists because of her unorthodox concepts and lifestyle. She has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Her best remembered work today is her semi-autobiographical short story "The Yellow Wallpaper", which she wrote after a severe bout of postpartum psychosis.

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