What did marriage advice used to sound like when it was delivered with absolute confidence and no room for disagreement?

In this episode, we read and react to real marriage advice from the mid-20th century, including excerpts from books, manuals, and magazine content that shaped expectations around marriage, behavior, and roles. Yes, all of it is real.

We sit down and respond in real time, translating the advice into plain language and reacting to the certainty with which these rules were written. Some of it is hilarious. Some of it is genuinely shocking. A few sections are so baffling they derail the conversation entirely.

This episode unfolds like a time capsule: a modern couple in 2026 reacting to what marriage and “good behavior” were supposed to look like not that long ago. Expect commentary, raised eyebrows, and plenty of humor as we work through advice that once passed for common sense.

If you enjoy funny reactions, cultural throwbacks, and conversations that are equal parts entertaining and absurd, this episode is an easy listen.

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Sources:

1) Sara, Dorothy. The Bride’s Encyclopedia. New York: Greenberg, Publisher, 1951.Excerpt: “Be a Pretty Wife,” pp. 282–283, pp. 290

2) Walker, Mary Alice. Venture of Faith: A Guide to Marriage and the Home. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1959.Excerpt: “Venture of Faith: A Guide to Marriage and the Home,” pp. 128, pp. 27

3) Lord, Daniel A. Planning Your Happy Marriage. The Queen’s Work, 1949.Excerpt: “Planning Your Happy Marriage,” pp. 5

4) Duvall, Evelyn Ruth Millis. When You Marry. New York: Association Press, 1953.Excerpt: “When You Marry,” pp.13, pp. 225

All sources can be found at ⁠www.archive.org⁠

** Disclaimer: This episode includes verbatim excerpts from historical marriage manuals, advertisements, and studies for commentary and discussion. The views expressed in the quoted material do not reflect our own and are presented for historical and educational context. **