A life of her own

Émilie Carles (1900-1979) was born into the rigidly conservative patriarchal world of a poor and isolated peasant community in the high Alps of southeastern France. Her autobiography is the story of a world that has largely disappeared and of the one that has emerged to take its place. A woman who loved life and who was determined to make something of her own, Carles reflects on the turbulent history of the twentieth century from the viewpoints of the many roles she played in it: teacher, farmer, feminist, pacifist, political activist. The tone of Carles's memoir reflects the strength and joy she brought to a fight against ignorance and intolerance, a fight for peace and justice sustained to the end of her long life. This is a remarkable book about a remarkable woman.