by David Finch
First published 2012
David Finch thought he was just quirky until his wife Kristen pushed for answers five years into their marriage. The diagnosis of Asperger syndrome explained his social meltdowns, his compulsions, and his rigid thinking, but it didn't solve their problems. David still couldn't express himself better than their two-year-old daughter. He still thought laundry meant throwing clothes toward the hamper. He still couldn't see situations from Kristen's perspective. Determined to become the husband he wanted to be, David embarked on a methodical mission of self-improvement. He took excessive notes, conducted performance reviews on himself, and compiled the Journal of Best Practices. This collection contained hundreds of rules he learned through painful trial and error: don't change the radio when she's singing, don't shout apologies, be her friend first. Over two years, David used his journal to transform from the most difficult husband into the one who tried hardest. His story reveals how determination and love can overcome the challenges of living with autism.
Genres: family-life, mental-health, relationships, non-fiction, biography-memoir, disability
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: determined-protagonist, personal-growth, self-discovery
225 pages · Hardcover · Scribner