Last month in Rochester's Backroom Bookshop (43 High Street, ME1 1LN; Tel: 01634 308035; no website) I discovered the rather startling TELL ME, JOSEPHINE edited by Barbara Hall. Published originally by Andre Deutsch in 1964, and in paperback by Pan Books in 1967, it is a collection of agony aunt letters to Josephine (Barbara Hall) of the Zambia Mail. It even has a foreword by Kenneth Kaunda, the then Prime Minister of Zambia. Here's a taster:

'On the train from Bulawayo I met a girl. She gave me her address and I sent a missive concerning great love. She replied saying, "You are too young to love a big girl like me."

'What can I say to that?"

Tell her you are growing older every day.

I'll entertain you with a few more as I read on...