dayrealing [Kindle Edition]

Mike Church (Author)

Book Description

It is not so much that Colin's adult education class is a riot – although lippy Jack and snide Nicola do their best to make it so, and even that nice, demure, octogenarian Miss Tedley has been known to lend a hand – it is more that Colin's own mind is a riot of conflicting thoughts around the luscious Amanda, life, school politics, literature and the rules of English usage, grammar and syntax.

And Colin does have an unfortunate name and a tendency to land himself in more trouble than he is already in or, at times, under, as the world comes crashing down on him.

Will he ever prepare a class, get the better of arch-enemies Simon and Dolores, or seduce Amanda into paying any attention to him whatsoever?

And will he ever define 'dayrealing'? Ah, that. Yes, dayrealing is what this Colin does best.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mike Church, what does one say about Mike Church? Yeah, you are right - best not. But we will disclose that he has been teaching English for as long as anyone cares to remember and that he is a justly maligned (by himself, in 'dayrealing') Director of Studies in one of the largest independent language school in Spain. And, as a by-the-by, anyone who understands ANY of his jokes in 'dayrealing', doesn't need to attend his classes - so it's a bit like an English exam or a note from your mother excusing you from further studies. His brother, Brian Church, is also a successful author. He has lived in Greece and writes books like 'Always on a Sunday - An Englishman in Greece' and 'Learn Greek in 25 Years', so writing, or at least exile, is in the blood.

Product Details

• File Size: 691 KB
• Print Length: 354 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Taylor Street Publishing (November 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006GRIOIQ
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #624,137 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun with Obtuse Frustration December 12, 2011

By Tantra Bensko

Format:Paperback

This is a truly funny book and Mike Church has mastered language thoroughly, making it do what it's supposed to, or else. I'd recommend this book newly released from Night Publishing to anyone who enjoys humor, especially those who resonate with humor arising from frustration and quiet desperation, British style. It's the kind of book that would make a good present, because all it really takes is just a sense of the absurd to like this, and if your friends don't have that, what are you doing with them?

The teacher in this book deals with such obtuseness all around him, you can't help but feel sorry for him. Until you realize that he is at least as obtuse as anyone else in the book - deliberately so! Compulsively so, which matches his obsession with numbers, and grammar, and things that seem kind of unpleasant, until we see how ridiculously, laughably unpleasant the rest of his life is. Then, we see why they might be pretty cheery little distractions. And why he might have developed some strange humor so amazingly absurd that he can actually, maybe, enjoy his life. In any case, we readers can, and that's what counts.

Read more at [...]

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Never what it seems... January 15, 2012

By Lizzie Eldridge

Format:Paperback

Quirky, zany and relentlessly anarchic, Mike Church's 'Dayrealing' sucks you into its crazy world where mundane reality becomes frenetically surreal. Colin, the central character, is pedantic and obsessed with making lists yet our sympathies are progressively drawn to him as the writing deftly exposes the peculiar inner workings of his mind. Who couldn't fail to be moved by a character who puzzles over hyphens, gerunds and haiku?
Steeped in a unique brand of comedy, language is paramount throughout and Mike Church plays with words and ideas in a clever myriad of ways. This applies not least, of course, to the title of the book itself, the meaning of which is touchingly explained halfway through the story. A beautiful moment which can only be grasped through the actual reading of this topsy-turvy and exquisite novel. If it's laughter you're after then 'Dayrealing' provides all the vital ingredients!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Start the New Year with a laugh a minute December 29, 2011

By Sheila M. Belshaw

Format:Kindle Edition

The unique zany cover is enough to make you giggle before you even begin to read this clever, well written, extremely humorous book.

You can't help feeling a wee bit sorry for Colin Raphead, but you will not be able to stop laughting either - on every page.

In fact I giggled most of the way through it - which is really good for the supply of endorphins they say we all need in a world that churns out so much doom and gloom these days.

I love lists too, and I identified with Colin's obsession with grammar.

So if you want to top up the endorphins and forget the doom and gloom, do buy this book.

I loved it.

More About the Author

I'm from High Wycombe (1962). I did French at Warwick but ended up marrying a Basque lady and teaching English in northern Spain, where I remain to this day. I have two Eurozone teenagers, who keep me firmly in my place.

My debut novel, "Huh?", was published by Taylor Steet Publishing at the end of 2011. More recently, I have self-published "Spanglish for Impatient People", a tongue-in-cheek Spanish-English phrasebook that took me just two weeks to write, and which is already outselling "Huh?" - which took me two years! In a similar vein, I have recently released "Spanglish for Rhythmic People" and "English for Monosyllabic People".

I am also the author of "fifty shades of Spain", a collection of short stories and reflections on life in Spain. Oh, the joys of self-publishing.

My entire life's work is currently available as a Kindle download for less than a fiver, be that pounds, dollars or euros.

Please visit my blog for further details: http://TheOtherMikeChurch.blogspot.com

Thank you.