Beryl Bainbridge told Kirsty Young that, in the 1960s, one might well succumb to a man out of simple politeness
At the end of of the 60s a book was published with a title something like A young womans guide to manners, There were many such titles at the time but this was a success de scandale because it dealt with manners in the bedroom
The one quote which has stuck with me all these years: Many a young woman has lost her innocence at the age of 18 because she was too polite to say No
(The word in the book was not innocence but I have learned to be cautious about the words I use in a blog)
I guarantee that if you repeat that quote to a roomful of women of a certain age the response will be a collective sigh. Oh yes – I know what that feels like
