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A Year at St. Yorick's : Collected Magazines from the Parish of Gently Down
Another likely best-seller from Adrian Plass, A Year at St Yorick's will do for the Church of England what the Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass did for charismatic Christians. Remember the Sacred Diarist trying to take spiritual authority over a paper clip? This time Adrian Plass turns his satirical yet affectionate eye on the Church of England, in this spoof collection of monthly parish magazines which lampoons the life of a fictional rural parish. These are tempestuous times for the Church of England (the Toronto Blessing, the ongoing rumbles about disestablishment, the debate about monarchy, divorce and the state), and as ever Adrian's humour is full of wisdom and compassion as well as wild irreverence.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Adrian Plass
138 books105 followersAdrian Plass is a writer and speaker who has produced over thirty books in the last twenty years. The best known of these is probably The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, a gentle satire on the modern church, which has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. This and other books have travelled to other countries and are translated into a number of foreign languages. Other books include biography, novels, short stories, a fictionalised account of the author's experiences as a residential child care worker, and collections of poems and sketches. A bemused Anglican, Adrian lives with his wife and daughter in a small market town near the Sussex South Downs.
Adrian has been in demand as a speaker in venues as varied as prisons, schools, churches, festivals, literary dinners and theatrical settings. His work also includes contribution to national and local radio and television. Live presentations combine humour, poetry, and story telling, largely revolving around his own inadequacies and struggles as a Christian and a human being.
In recent years Adrian has been joined by his wife Bridget in presenting a more varied and dramatic style of performance. Adrian and Bridget met at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and have found particular satisfaction in being allowed to ‘do a bit of acting’. They have also been privileged to work alongside World Vision on several occasions, visiting Bangladesh and Zambia, writing two books and touring both in the UK and abroad with the aim of encouraging people to take up child sponsorship
Their work now takes them as far away as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Africa, while trips to Europe have introduced the added dimension of speaking through interpreters. Not easy when you're trying to be funny!
Adrian's latest books include ‘Jesus Safe Tender and Extreme‘, published by Zondervan, ‘Blind Spots in the Bible’, published by BRF, and most recent of all ‘Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation’ published by Authentic Media. He and Bridget have also collaborated with friends in Canada to produce a CD of his favourite sketches from the last 20 years called ‘Preaching to the Converted’ while ‘A Touch of Plass’, CTA’s documentary video, is now out on DVD.
2008 began with a visit to Bolivia for Bridget and Adrian in collaboration with the charity Toybox to look at projects involving street children. Later on there will be a DVD, a book and a number of presentations promoting their work.
Adrian's central motivation continues to be his love for Jesus, although some may feel he expresses it rather eccentrically. His passion is to communicate the need for reality in faith, and a truth that he learned during a difficult stage in his life: "God is nice and he likes me..." Some have described his work as being ‘one long confessional’. They may well be right!
Adrian has been in demand as a speaker in venues as varied as prisons, schools, churches, festivals, literary dinners and theatrical settings. His work also includes contribution to national and local radio and television. Live presentations combine humour, poetry, and story telling, largely revolving around his own inadequacies and struggles as a Christian and a human being.
In recent years Adrian has been joined by his wife Bridget in presenting a more varied and dramatic style of performance. Adrian and Bridget met at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and have found particular satisfaction in being allowed to ‘do a bit of acting’. They have also been privileged to work alongside World Vision on several occasions, visiting Bangladesh and Zambia, writing two books and touring both in the UK and abroad with the aim of encouraging people to take up child sponsorship
Their work now takes them as far away as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Africa, while trips to Europe have introduced the added dimension of speaking through interpreters. Not easy when you're trying to be funny!
Adrian's latest books include ‘Jesus Safe Tender and Extreme‘, published by Zondervan, ‘Blind Spots in the Bible’, published by BRF, and most recent of all ‘Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation’ published by Authentic Media. He and Bridget have also collaborated with friends in Canada to produce a CD of his favourite sketches from the last 20 years called ‘Preaching to the Converted’ while ‘A Touch of Plass’, CTA’s documentary video, is now out on DVD.
2008 began with a visit to Bolivia for Bridget and Adrian in collaboration with the charity Toybox to look at projects involving street children. Later on there will be a DVD, a book and a number of presentations promoting their work.
Adrian's central motivation continues to be his love for Jesus, although some may feel he expresses it rather eccentrically. His passion is to communicate the need for reality in faith, and a truth that he learned during a difficult stage in his life: "God is nice and he likes me..." Some have described his work as being ‘one long confessional’. They may well be right!
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 17, 2024
Bought back so many happy memories of reading this when I was younger! I even saw a play based on it by a church group and have met the author on many occasions.
Though I no longer really attend church and hesitate to call myself a ‘Christian’ (too long and complicated to explain in a book review!) I found this book once again and thought I’d give it a read - it still made me giggle just as much as ever and is such a great parody of Church magazines, in places not far off what real ones are like. Even my atheist husband found bits of it funny which I read to him.
I’m now wondering if I can find any more of my old Adrian Plass humorous books to read!
Though I no longer really attend church and hesitate to call myself a ‘Christian’ (too long and complicated to explain in a book review!) I found this book once again and thought I’d give it a read - it still made me giggle just as much as ever and is such a great parody of Church magazines, in places not far off what real ones are like. Even my atheist husband found bits of it funny which I read to him.
I’m now wondering if I can find any more of my old Adrian Plass humorous books to read!
July 18, 2022
An excellent read - especially if you are a member of an Anglican church. Highly recommended.
January 2, 2009
What can I say? This book was screamingly hialrious for anyone who has grown up in the church and understands all the drama involved. The book is composed of one year's worth of the church newsletter from St. Yorick's parish. Each month, the vicar writes an intro, there is a witty cartoon, a children's corner, and tons of other hilarious articles in Plass's classic british humor. I love his books. simply can't get enough.
If you want to order this book, you'll have to find it used on Amazon since it's from England.
If you want to order this book, you'll have to find it used on Amazon since it's from England.
January 25, 2008
This is a fictional church magazine over 12 months, written in typical Plass style ironic humour, complete with misprints and typos.
Amusing in places, even a little thought-provoking at times, but not up to the author's usual brilliance. Worth reading if you like this kind of thing or are a fan of the author - or as a book to dip into rather than reading from start to finish.
Amusing in places, even a little thought-provoking at times, but not up to the author's usual brilliance. Worth reading if you like this kind of thing or are a fan of the author - or as a book to dip into rather than reading from start to finish.
February 25, 2012
Definitely Plass's funniest book, and the only one I wouldn't have been embarrassed to offer to non-Christians to read. The C of E offers him a lot more scope for humour than the nameless evangelical sect that the Sacred Diarist belongs to, and he can do jokes that aren't quite so tame. I still laugh about the flatshare advert 'due to previous occupant's abrupt departure and hospitalisation.'
February 8, 2023
Enjoyed this, made me laugh out loud on occasion. A few poignant parts as well. Easy to read and dip into with many recognisable caricatures.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews