ANTHONY COTTERELL - A Newspaper Man in Service Harness
The Expert Way of Getting Married
Published 1939
Published just before the outbreak of war, the timing could not have been worse for this book about courtship, engagement, wedding, reception, and marriage. Anthony freely admitted he only wrote the book to make money. Much influenced by the culture of the Daily Express, it is - by a very long way - the weakest and least inspired of his books. Plenty of very funny lines, but overall a great disappointment and not at all characteristic of him.
A small taste will suffice.
Published just before the outbreak of war, the timing could not have been worse for this book about courtship, engagement, wedding, reception, and marriage. Anthony freely admitted he only wrote the book to make money. Much influenced by the culture of the Daily Express, it is - by a very long way - the weakest and least inspired of his books. Plenty of very funny lines, but overall a great disappointment and not at all characteristic of him.
A small taste will suffice.
Some advice to wives about their husbands:
If he's bored or tired or irritated it stands out a mile. He's not going to conceal it for you.
Now, your job is not to sulk when he's bored or tired, but to minister to his needs. That is the job of a wife. Maybe you feel tired yourself at the end of the day; too bad, but it's better not to show it.
Now don't go saying "Yes, but what about me, aren't I entitled to any feelings of my own? ... Why shouldn't I show it like he does?"
BECAUSE HE NEVER SEES OTHER WOMEN BORED AND TIRED; THEY ARE ALWAYS AT THEIR BEST IN FRONT OF HIM.
Now, your job is not to sulk when he's bored or tired, but to minister to his needs. That is the job of a wife. Maybe you feel tired yourself at the end of the day; too bad, but it's better not to show it.
Now don't go saying "Yes, but what about me, aren't I entitled to any feelings of my own? ... Why shouldn't I show it like he does?"
BECAUSE HE NEVER SEES OTHER WOMEN BORED AND TIRED; THEY ARE ALWAYS AT THEIR BEST IN FRONT OF HIM.
Actually, there is a lot of entertaining stuff mixed in with this arrant nonsense - example: 'Barbara Hutton's wedding receptions have been successful. There are forty million reasons why. Each one a dollar' - but taken as a whole, The Expert Way of Getting Married was definitely not Anthony's finest writing hour.
