“Your married life has disappointed you.
Well, often things we buy turn out quite
different from what we hope they will
but we cannot have our money back.”
Woman’s Home Companion, 1915“Dance at her wedding without your
shoes. This is supposed to procure
a husband for an unmarried girl within
the year.” Peg’s Paper, 1919“Do you think your wife is missing her
office life? Or has she any other cause
for the discontent which seems to be
expressing itself in badly cooked food?”
Modern Woman, 1953“Boys love to be asked to open tins,
and here’s the chance to ask a favour
of the boy you like. If you think tinned
food is a bit silly, take along a bottle
of salad cream.” Boyfriend, 1962Taken from Never Kiss a Man in a Canoe: Words
of Wisdom from the Golden Age of Agony
Aunts, by Tanith Carey (Boxtree)FICTIONAL AGONY
AUNTS WE HAVE
DEARLY LOVEDMrs Bird
The terrifying agony aunt of AJ Pearce’s
novel Dear Mrs Bird. Mrs Bird will brook
“no unpleasantness” (including affairs,
or indeed relationships of any sort really),
until her page is secretly taken over by
office typist, Emmy.Jane Lucas
Maureen Lipman played agony aunt Jane
in TV comedy Agony from 1979–81, much
loved for her disastrous personal life and
interfering mother. Agony was co-written
by real life aunt, Anna Raeburn. Joan and Jericha
Vicki Pepperdine and Julia Davis star in
the podcast Dear Joan and Jericha,
playing funny, but filthy, agony aunts
who boast expertise in “psycho-genital
counselling and sports journalism”. Mrs Mills
The Mrs Mills Solves All Your Problems
page appears in The Sunday Times Style
magazine. Acerbic, snappy and
completely useless advice on all
manner of issues.How to answer a problem in print
We’re used to dealing with
the problems of loved ones
face to face but should
someone unburden
themselves in a letter to you,
here’s how to answer.
l First, assume nothing. It might
feel like you have the whole story
but you don’t: remember this is allseen through one person’s eyes.
l That said, try to read between
the lines a little. What’s missing
from the picture? And what is
mentioned a lot?
l Answer gently. If they’ve taken
the trouble to unburden
themselves in a letter or email they
may be feeling fragile and perhapscouldn’t face a face-to-face
meeting. This is no place for ‘pull
yourself togethers’.
l Keep it about them. Though it’s
tempting to offer your experience,
to someone in need it can sound a
little me, me, me.
l Offer a face-to-face meeting.
With tea. And biscuits.AGONY
AUNT
ADVICE
ACROSS
THE^ AGES...
AGONY
AUNT
ADVICE
ACROSS
THE^ AGES...
“Your married life has disappointed you.
Well, often things we buy turn out quite
different from what we hope they will
but we cannot have our money back.”
Woman’s Home Companion, 1915“Dance at her wedding without your
shoes. This is supposed to procure
a husband for an unmarried girl within
the year.” Peg’s Paper, 1919“Do you think your wife is missing her
office life? Or has she any other cause
for the discontent which seems to be
expressing itself in badly cooked food?”
Modern Woman, 1953“Boys love to be asked to open tins,
and here’s the chance to ask a favour
of the boy you like. If you think tinned
food is a bit silly, take along a bottle
of salad cream.” Boyfriend, 1962Taken from Never Kiss a Man in a Canoe: Words
of Wisdom from the Golden Age of Agony
Aunts, by Tanith Carey (Boxtree)FICTIONAL AGONY
AUNTS WE HAVE
DEARLY LOVED
Mrs Bird
The terrifying agony aunt of AJ Pearce’s
novel Dear Mrs Bird. Mrs Bird will brook
“no unpleasantness” (including affairs,
or indeed relationships of any sort really),
until her page is secretly taken over by
office typist, Emmy.
Jane Lucas
Maureen Lipman played agony aunt Jane
in TV comedy Agony from 1979–81, much
loved for her disastrous personal life and
interfering mother. Agony was co-written
by real life aunt, Anna Raeburn.
Joan and Jericha
Vicki Pepperdine and Julia Davis star in
the podcast Dear Joan and Jericha,
playing funny, but filthy, agony aunts
who boast expertise in “psycho-genital
counselling and sports journalism”.
Mrs Mills
The Mrs Mills Solves All Your Problems
page appears in The Sunday Times Style
magazine. Acerbic, snappy and
completely useless advice on all
manner of issues.
How to answer a problem in print
We’re used to dealing with
the problems of loved ones
face to face but should
someone unburden
themselves in a letter to you,
here’s how to answer.
l First, assume nothing. It might
feel like you have the whole story
but you don’t: remember this is allseen through one person’s eyes.
l That said, try to read between
the lines a little. What’s missing
from the picture? And what is
mentioned a lot?
l Answer gently. If they’ve taken
the trouble to unburden
themselves in a letter or email they
may be feeling fragile and perhapscouldn’t face a face-to-face
meeting. This is no place for ‘pull
yourself togethers’.
l Keep it about them. Though it’s
tempting to offer your experience,
to someone in need it can sound a
little me, me, me.
l Offer a face-to-face meeting.
With tea. And biscuits.AGONY
AUNT
ADVICE
ACROSS
THE^ AGES...
AGONY
AUNT
ADVICE
ACROSS
THE^ AGES...