The Journal of Best Practices

A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband

By: David Finch

Narrated by: David Finch

Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

At some point in nearly every marriage, a wife finds herself asking, "What is wrong with my husband?!" In David Finch's case, this turns out to be an apt question. Five years after he married Kristen, the love of his life, they learn that he has Asperger syndrome. The diagnosis explains David's ever-growing list of quirks and compulsions, his lifelong propensity to quack and otherwise melt down in social exchanges, and his clinical strength inflexibility. But it doesn't make him any easier to live with.

Determined to change, David sets out to understand Asperger syndrome and learn to be a better husband - no easy task for a guy whose inability to express himself rivals his two-year-old daughter's, who thinks his responsibility for laundry extends no further than throwing things in (or at) the hamper, and whose autism spectrum condition makes seeing his wife's point of view a near impossibility.

Nevertheless, David devotes himself to improving his marriage with an endearing, yet hilarious, zeal that involves excessive note-taking, performance reviews, and most of all, The Journal of Best Practices: a collection of hundreds of maxims and hard-won epiphanies that result from self-reflection, both comic and painful. They include "Don't change the radio station when she's singing along", "Apologies do not count when you shout them", and "Be her friend, first and always". Guided by The Journal of Best Practices, David transforms himself over the course of two years from the world's most trying husband to the husband who tries the hardest - the husband he'd always meant to be.

Filled with humor and surprising wisdom, The Journal of Best Practices is a candid story of ruthless self-improvement, a unique window into living with an autism spectrum condition, and proof that a true heart can conquer all.

©2012 David Finch (P)2012 Tantor

Rather enlightening

What made the experience of listening to The Journal of Best Practices the most enjoyable?

I liked the honesty that I felt from the author. He told it like it was for him going through the experience of discovering something about himself. I found the story to be very enlightening for myself as well, since many of the things that they author mentioned were the same for me.

Not the flagship on Asperger's

Some salient points. While overall, a entertaining and illuminating audio book....this is just one story of Asperger's. Everyone on the spectrum is different. Which, the author missed.

What happened to his wife's father?
Is he still slogging away in marketing...or stuck as management? 😂 This should have been wrapped up. The audio book, is exhausting as there's high intensity. In closing, a good story. The good guy wins. I would like to point out, those with high functioning Asperger's, and are diagnosed later in life are more prone to comorbid mental illnesses such as OCD and anxiety. Just saying as a fellow aspie.

Eye opening

I've recently come to the realization that I have Asperger's, and this book along with others has really helped my fiancé and I define and explain my actions, personality, and reactions. I found myself so very similar to David it was uncanny, and his experiences, being so similar to my own, helped not to explain away my idiosyncrasies, but to help my fiancé and I work to better understand how I work and how to work with my Asperger's.

Wonderful - Fun!

Helped me to understand the Aspie in my life. listened to it twice! Worth the listen.

a worthwhile read

My brain works in similar ways to Finch's. Maybe not as strongly attached to routine as him, but a lot of it rang bells.
Good to know there are others.

Right book at the right time

After being diagnosed with Asperger’s, at the age of 47. I started researching about the topic. This book is amazingly narrated and filled with information through humor and comforting storytelling. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Completely relatable and well explained

Excellent storytelling. I loved the book and I can relate to it in a lot of ways. I believe my husband is on the spectrum and this revealed a better understanding of my autistic nephew. Thank you for writing this book!

Amazing book on relationships. Must read!!!

Even if you do not have anyone with special needs in your family, you will still love this story and laugh out loud.

As a man on a quest to improve my marriage and relationship with my family (my daughter's needs are on the autism spectrum scale as well) this books story really hit home. I learned a lot about what goes through others minds, the fact they go through the same challenges too. It was an inspiring story, expertly told by the author and it was hysterically funny. You will love this true story! its a must read (hear!)

incredible and funny view from the outside

funny and insightful. Gave me a lot of insight into what a relationship with someone who has aspergers is really like, and how to improve things

An Unexpected Gem

I’ve been familiar with the concept of ASD but had no idea where to start learning about it. Turns out this was a great start. The story is easy to digest and listen too, and gives you a huge range of emotional reactions. The main character is funny, and this book gave me a couple giggles that have become running jokes in my friend group after everyone read this.

This is not a technical book, it is learning by a story. A delightful one.