The marriage enigma

What is the secret of a long and happy marriage? In 1969, Jilly Cooper thought she had the answer: women should keep on top of the housework, cook delicious dinners and “amuse” their husbands in the bedroom. Half a century later, Cooper says she is red-faced about her advice – certain of her dictats were foolish and she didn’t even follow most of them herself.

Nevertheless, some of her tips have stood the test of time. Not getting drunk at the wedding is sagacity in itself; ignoring the bad habits will save a lot of aggravation in the long run and harbouring grudges is never healthy. Nobody says that marriage is easy – as Cooper herself well knows. The truth is that there are no universal rules for success. But the fact that we’re still trying to work them out is surely something to be celebrated.