Author, Pioneer Feminist. She was a French author of the 19th century. Born Amandine Aurore Lucile Dupin, she used the pen name of "George Sand" as female authors were not well-accepted in this era. A prolific author, she published at least 70 books, essays, and plays. Known for her romantic novels in rustic settings, she was very advanced and bold for her time in addressing moral and social issues. She is most remembered for her 1832 novel, "Indiana," which was based on a passionate protest against the social conventions that bind a wife to her husband against her will. She became famous after the novel's publication. The 1833 novel, "Leila," explored women's inability to follow their true desires. Other books include "a Mare au diable" in 1846, "François le Champi" in 1848, and "La Petite Fadette" in 1849. Her later writings were autobiographical: "Histoire de ma vie," a massive two-volume work in 1854 ("Story of My Life"); and "Contes d'une grand'mère" in 1873 ("Tales of a Grandmother"), which was a collection of stories she wrote for her grandchildren. She wrote for the press, covering political issues of the era and advocating nonviolence in a troubled time. Her parents came from different backgrounds; her father, Maurice Dupin, was an aristocratic soldier connected to Polish and French Royals, while her mother, Sophie Delaborde, made a living on the streets during the evening hours. Her parents secretly married in a civil ceremony less than four weeks before her birth. After her father's sudden death when she was four, she was educated in a Roman Catholic convent, while under the care of her father's family. By the time she was 18, her mother took her to Paris to live. A free unconventional spirit, she was known for wearing men's trousers and a loose shirt while galloping on horseback through the countryside. She smoked Turkish cigarettes and cigars in public, a practice that a lady of that era would not do, yet she enjoyed needlework and jam making. She would attend social functions without an escort. In 1822 she married an army officer, Casimir Dudevant, but at the age of 27 left her husband and two children, returning to Paris to fulfill her desire for a literary career. Eventually, she legally separated from her husband; gaining custody of her daughter, Solange, while her husband kept their son, Maurice. Divorce in France was illegal at this time. Leading to malicious gossip, she was known to have extramarital affairs with several well-known men such as author Alfred Musset, Prosper Mérimée, and a nine-year long relationship with composer Frédéric Chopin. She had the opportunity to travel to Spain and Italy with these relationships. Her last lover was the engraver Alexandre Damien Manceau, who gave her not only romance but devoted friendship. After her 1872 retirement, she left Paris to live at her picturesque country estate at Nohant in Berry. She was an advocate of education, especially for women and the poor. Her grave marker documents her name as "George Sand."