Richie, a forty year old languages teacher, is lying on a beach in Lanzarote recovering from a traumatic accident. He recalls the events which have brought him here as he reconstructs the latter part of his home and working life: from marriage to the neurotic Matty, and job success in a secondary school; to a painful divorce and professional burn-out. He takes us on a rollercoaster ride as we travel with him from the Canaries to Japan, meeting along the way the new woman, new women, new toys and new places he travels to. We watch him slowly piece himself back together as he begins to accept his 'mid-life transition'. "This is not a mid-life crisis!" It is a story which reveals the darker side of our fallen hero whose story is told with humour and understanding, as he pokes fun at himself, those around him and life in general. For anyone entering the teaching profession or for any teacher currently serving or contemplating escape, this is a book which will make you laugh out loud and nod in agreement. And for anyone stuck in a rut, either professionally or on a personal level, Richie might well be the one to help you find your way out.