I have yet to try any of Jilly Cooper’s bonkbusters (Obituary, 6 October) but loved her column in the Sunday Times and read all her 1970s “permissive novels”, so when our first daughter was born in 1977, I knew at once that I wanted to call her Harriet.

I discovered recently that one of our oldest friends, an English scholar and great admirer of Jane Austen, had believed for almost 50 years that Harriet was named after a character in Emma. I was reluctant to shatter his fond illusions, but as my personal tribute to Jilly Cooper have decided I will now do so.

Incidentally, our younger daughter is known as Bella, but not this time after a Cooper title character. Her full name is Isabella, again not in tribute to the Austen character in Northanger Abbey, but to Isabella Bird, the intrepid author of A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains, a true story with no shortage of horses or rugged men, though not quite a bonkbuster.
Caroline Cole
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

I have never read a Jilly Cooper novel, but nevertheless I am so sad to hear of her death. Long ago, in 1982, I saw her programme Shakespeare in Perspective | The Merry Wives of Windsor – part of the wonderful BBC Shakespeare series. I remember her insight, humanity and wry observations of class. Real intellect, and extremely funny with it.
Bob Kentridge
Professor of psychology, Durham University

As a recently married woman in the 1960s, I was surprised to receive three copies of Jilly Cooper’s book How to Stay Married. The advice must have been good, though, as we celebrated our 57th anniversary in July.
Jean Holmes
Clitheroe, Lancashire