Marry someone who flatters you, advises Michael Morpurgo

Marital advice from Michael Morpurgo. The author, best known for his children’s book War Horse, was holding a literary lunch for families in Kaspar’s seafood restaurant at the Savoy hotel this Saturday.

“If you get a review that says horrible things, you never forget, and the book you love even more,” he told his audience, recalling a savaging of his book Twist of Gold 30 years ago.

Morpurgo, who has written more than 100 books, says however that his wife Clare is his harshest critic. “Every time I write a new book and show it to her, I say ‘is it as good as War Horse?’ And she says ‘No’.”

He turned to the children at the lunch and urged them: “When you get married, find someone who flatters you.”