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cover
2.5 

Title: Journal of Best Practices, The
Authors: Finch, David
Genre: Non Fiction
Pages: 224
Year: 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Language: English
Description: When David Finch is diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, it is not a surprise to Kristen his wife of five years. But what is a surprise is how this diagnosis saves their marriage. Determined to be a better husband and father, David starts taking notes (in his distinctly excessive manner) and hence the 'journal of best practices' is born.

Not only is the reader exposed to the experiences of living with an autistic spectrum disorder, but also to the very essence of what constitutes a good relationship.

A warm, amusing, and insightful memoir. [Larger font]

Comments from Groups:

We all enjoyed the book - easy to read, very informative and amusing. Very few of us knew much about Asperger's so found it very interesting. We thought his wife deserved a medal!. It was quite inspiring how he was determined to make changes to save his marriage. We were amazed at how he managed to hold down a demanding job - and how tolerant his employer was! Christchurch 088

This was a very interesting read. A number of our group work with children and it was a useful insight into how the mind of a person on the Asperger's spectrum actually works. We get plenty of information about diagnosing and treating, but this made it so much easier to understand. Auckland 273

What a fascinating man, and what a saint his wife is! The story was, at the same time, both annoying and interesting, as it is written by the sufferer, and is a real account. Mangawhai 001

A good insight into Asperger's Syndrome and how it affects peoples' lives.We all enjoyed the humour in the book. Generally it was felt that while David deserved recognition and admiration for his hard work in overcoming his difficulties, it was hard to actually like him. Kirsten was amazing in the way she coped and supported him. The 'Best Practices' were entirely relevant to any relationship.Nelson 015

Some were challenged to understand the difference between people with Asperger's and husbands in general! Some found the book not particularly memorable. This is certainly the case around the secondary characters in the book. Probably not a book we would recommend to others unless they have a child/relation with Asperger's. Wanaka 013

This generated a good discussion which progressed to the 'male brain' in general. As a group of women, we would have liked some more insight into the viewpoint of the author's wife. Leith 001

Categories: Non fiction, Biography, Medical/Health, Larger font

Reviews

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By: PAIHIA 001 2023-10-20 17:05:27
3.5 
We all found this interesting but we all agreed that we are all 'different' in our own way, and this book is about any partnership - you have to work at them all. Easy read.

By: DUNED 063 2020-05-06 19:40:42
2.5 
Quite a few of us didn't finish the book. It didn't seem to hang together very well, more a collection of episodes and that became monotonous. However it was a good insight into Asperger's Syndrome especially for those who had very little understanding of the condition. Some of us felt sorry for his long suffering wife. We thought the accompanying descriptive notes were very good.

 
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