How to Stay Married

Written by Harrison Scott Key

Narrated by Harrison Scott Key and Lauren Key

Harrison Scott Key, winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, tells the shocking, “shot through with sharp humor” (The Washington Post), spiritually profound story of his journey through hell and back when infidelity threatens his marriage.

One gorgeous autumn day, Harrison discovers that his wife—the sweet, funny, loving mother of their three daughters, a woman “who’s spent just about every Sunday of her life in a church”—is having an affair with a family friend. This revelation propels the hysterical, heartbreaking events in How to Stay Married, casting our narrator onto “the factory floor of hell,” where his wife was now in love with a man who “wears cargo shorts, on purpose.” What will he do? Kick her out? Set fire to all her panties in the yard? Beat this man to death with a gardening implement? Ask God for help in winning her back?

Armed only with a sense of humor and a hunger for the truth, Harrison embarks on a hellish journey into his past, seeking answers to the riddles of faith and forgiveness. Through an absurd series of escalating confessions and betrayals, Harrison reckons with his failure to love his wife in the ways she needed most, resolves to fight for his family, and in a climax almost too ridiculous to be believed, finally learns that love is no joke. “A fiercely memorable account of marital devotion against all odds” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), How to Stay Married is a comic romp unlike any in contemporary literature, a wild ride through the hellscape of marriage and the mysteries of mercy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Jun 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781797160528

Harrison Scott Key

Harrison Scott Key is the author of The World’s Largest Man, winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, and Congratulations, Who Are You, Again?. Harrison’s TEDx talk about the challenges and rewards of creative ambition (“The Funny Thing About the American Dream”) is featured on TED.com, and his humor and nonfiction have appeared in The Best American Travel Writing, Oxford American, Outside, The New York Times, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Bitter Southerner, Town & Country, The Mockingbird, Salon, Reader’s Digest, Image, Southern Living, Gulf Coast, Creative Nonfiction, and elsewhere. He has spoken and performed on radio (Snap Judgement, WNYC Studios) and for hundreds of festivals, bookstores, conferences, variety shows, and universities. He lives in Savannah, Georgia.

Reviews for How to Stay Married

[Raquel Arellano · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So raw and real and beautiful. I loved their transparency and willingness to speak what too many times remains unspoken as Christians. Wow just Wow!

[Mandy Eldridge · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Incredibly relatable and validating at times. Also gut wrenching honesty (which I love).

[finedoc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The wisdom put my little faith in marriage to shame. True that marriage puts our souls through darkness and loneliness in the presence of people we wish would see our suffering. The healing from this betrayal of expectations is tortuous and seems pointless because of the many unsaid words. May patience like the author‘s be upon us all. Amen!

[Leslie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh man, this was amazing. So good, so shocking and sad, yet so freaking funny.

[Clayton Grow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow. Just wow. Perfect combination of self-reflection, vulnerability, and wit.

[David Weber · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The absolute rawness and the humor used to convey it in this authentic manner is so beautiful and redemptive! Even the portion where Laura speaks is phenomenally honest!!

[Chris · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Phenomenal! Best book I’ve read this year. Hilarious throughout even through the deeply painful and vulnerable parts. But it’s not cheap comedy, it’s a deep structure, comedy, even when the laughs are cheap. I will be reading this book again, and I will be recommending it to all sorts of people. Newlyweds, strugglers, those whose marriages are in trouble, and just about everyone else.

[Cindy Shaver · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a great book. From the struggles of faith to the struggles of a marriage, the author uses humor and truths to tell a much needed story. It’s a MUST read for anyone struggling with mercy and grace in their marriage.

[John Fisher · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A sad hopeful and great read for any married person. The story is not over till it's over.

[Sarah Green · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an honest, funny, surprising read. Made me laugh and tear up at points.

[james baggs · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes a story amuses. Sometimes a story soberly instructs. This story is a raw, truthful recounting of the facts of life which happens to most of us. As the saying goes “there is joy in the journey” but there is pain as well. To anyone who needs hope in their journey this book will help.

[cjrme2011 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Best book I’ve read on marriage. The authors are captivating with story telling! Praying for their continued marriage and my own!

[jepurdue · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book title should be how to be a cuck

[jessica grisham · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is real and raw and unapologetically honest. It is not for the faint of heart. This story wrecked me in the best way. It gave me a new resolve to honor and fight for my marriage and my friends’ marriages and my parents’ marriage.

[Shannon Mahler · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An amazing, funny, heart wrenching, impactful and BEAUTIFUL book. I almost want to start reading it RIGHT now, AGAIN, but will instead seek out the author's other books!
So many clever words, such humor, smarts and great advice about love, religion, grief, existence...just raw and real without at all being off-putting. LOVED IT. I was taking down quotes from it while listening.
A MUST read. 10 STARS!

[Cheryl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is a true account of a humble, humorous man twice betrayed by his wife. He kept his emotions in check and had compassion on her. He took responsibility for his own contributions to the marital breakdown. He sought advice and discerned it well.

I listened to it as a Biblical counselor. It is so engaging that I found myself sitting in the car trying to squeeze in a little more before exiting and staying up too late to reach the end.

This book is not a how-to, but rather what worked for them. It is a true story of one couples' painful journey artfully described in descriptive humor. We learn some things along the way.

Harrison's maturing faith and church play a major role in the rescue of the marriage. I don't understand why there is beer involved at church and home, but it isn't excessive.

The only reason I took a star off is because the title is misleading. The book is engaging, and there are important life lessons to be learned.

Note: the Scribd app's POST button disappeared each time I put the star rating in. I would give it 4.5

[3031094 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent writing and storytelling. Raw and honest. Hard and beautiful.

[Emily · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Yikes. You had me in the first half and then you lost me completely.

[Shirley Wright · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Honest, not giving up, believing in love not blinded by heart ache, acknowledging our own flaws- its all here. Wonderful to have shared this journey

[Deja Green · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was hard to get on board with his theology, we are polar opposites.
And I think he deserves better…