Janet Freer obituary

Other lives: Literary agent who helped launch the careers of several young science fiction writers in the 1960s and 70s

Pamela Erskine obituary

Other lives: Children’s librarian who as a union rep fought for equal pay and against budget cuts

Derek Mahon obituary

One of the great poets of his native Ireland who combined an apocalyptic vision with a utopian sense of survival

Meron Benvenisti obituary

Historian and commentator who challenged the viability of a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians

Althea Braithwaite obituary

Author and illustrator whose books, many featuring Desmond the Dinosaur, aimed to help children navigate difficult situations

Martin Short obituary

Television journalist whose films and books exposed police corruption and the covert world of Freemasonry

Eric Bentley obituary

Writer on drama and champion of Brecht who shared Shaw’s view that theatre should add to people’s lives

Mike Cooley obituary

Engineer, academic and activist who sought to transform the relationship between human skill and technology

Shere Hite obituary

Feminist researcher into women’s sexuality who broke new ground with her bestselling 1976 study The Hite Report