Freewoman

Claire Evans was born and grew up in France, gained a classics degree at the Sorbonne, then travelled extensively. She married an Englishman and with her husband settled in Cambridge, where they brought up their son. In 1975 she was told that she had inoperable cancer. In her few remaining months she wrote 'Freewoman'.

On liberation: 'Outward freedom may not be enough to ensure true freedom'.

On marriage: 'Why change partners if it is possible for both to become new people?'

On children: 'The child who does not learn to serve, learns to exploit.'

On contraception: 'Let anyone who likes swallow the pill. I prefer not to swallow fantasies.'