The Dude’s Guide to Marriage: 10 Skills Every Husband Must Develop to Love His Wife Well by Darrin and Amie Patrick is a book that discusses how to love and support your wife in ten key areas: listening, talking, fighting (well), growing, providing, resting, serving, submitting, pursuing, and worshipping (together). The book is primarily written by Darrin Patrick, though his wife Amie also provides thoughtful content.

I have recently read a few other books about marriage, and I thought that The Dude’s Guide was on par with Kim Kimberling’s 7 Secrets to an Awesome Marriage. I also liked it better than Sheila Wray Gregoire’s 9 Thoughts That Can Change Your Marriage and Doug Flander’s 25 Ways to Show Love to Your Wife. (Marriage books certainly have a monopoly on itemizing their ideas using numbers!)

I found Darrin Patrick’s emphasis on the topic of work, as well as his analysis of why some men shy away from hard work and responsibilites, to be very interesting. The book is full of practical ideas and detailed suggestions to improve communication in marriage, and the end of each chapter features five thought-provoking questions about your relationship, such as, “Are there areas in my life where you feel that I’ve become stagnant?” The guide is designed for already-married couples, but whether you’re married, engaged, or single, I believe that The Dude’s Guide to Marriage is a beneficial book.

You can read more about the book here.