Marry Me, by Carey Marx

Single on St Valentine's Day? Get some valuable dating tips

About a year ago, Carey Marx decided it was high time he got married. However, he didn't have a girlfriend and was already 39. So he decided to date as many women as possible, as quickly as possible, to find a wife within a year. And since he's a comedian, he decided to do a show about it, and write a book too.

Marry Me is about all the dates that Marx went on last year, and although his marital quest may sound contrived, it's really an exaggerated version of a universal problem. We all have an infinite array of prospective spouses and only a finite time in which to meet them - yet most of us are afraid of making the first move.

For anyone too shy to do the asking, Marx has plenty of sound advice. Dating websites are a good idea, people like to be asked out, and they like to go on proper dates - especially something more imaginative than drinks and dinner. Women like good listeners rather than good talkers, and fun is a far better bet than romance - on the first few dates, at least. As a book about dating, Marry Me is a great success. Marx found it far easier than he expected to initiate dates, and quickly became quite good at it. He doesn't come across as crass or creepy, he tells everyone what he's up to, and if their e-mails are anything to go by, almost all his dates had a good time.

As a book about getting married, Marry Me is less successful. Marx is adamant that his one-year mission is an experiment, not a gimmick, but he admits the results are skewed. Doing a stand-up show about getting married seems a great way of getting dates, but not quite so good a way of finding a serious fiancée.

As Marx's liaisons become more intense, some dates become apprehensive; not so much about the other women as about the public nature of his trawl. You can understand their unease. As well as the book and the show, there might even be a movie - not to mention all the interviews and reviews.

Nevertheless, for anyone who dreads dating, this is a book with a useful message: if you want to get married, it might take you longer than a year (even if you don't write a book or a one-man show about it). But since life is short and first impressions are fairly accurate, it's simply common sense to go on as many first dates as you can.

William Cook's 'The Unseen Eric Morecambe' is published by HarperCollins, £16.99