Bringing in the Sheaves: Wheat and Chaff from My Years as a Priest by Richard Coles

Bringing in the Sheaves: Wheat and Chaff from My Years as a Priest Reviews

• 
  Clive Gerrard

  If you pardon the pun - something of a curate's egg of a book, I'm afraid.
  When its good, its fascinating and highly readable. However, there are times when its hard going and the anecdotes seemingly irrelevant, inserted for no apparent reason.
  The book moves through the parts of the ecclesiastical year and as a result, some are more interesting than others. I found the section on funerals quite entertaining and informative, as was his trip to the Holy land. But as the anecdotes aren't chronologically ordered, the whole effect is quite 'Bitty' in my opinion.
  Never the less, its still a valuable read.
• 
  Jo Hurst

  I loved this book. This was more like dipping in and out of a diary than a memoir as such. But obviously confidentiality stops this from being like a straightforward memoir. However once you get used to the way it is put together, that is snippets that don't relate to each other, this becomes wonderful. Full of funny sections, full of beautifully written spiritual sections and full of human honesty. I laughed, I cried and I saw the power of God. Simply brilliant.
• 
  Jennifer

  I thoroughly enjoyed this well-titled book about Richard Coles' post-ordination life, although it was bittersweet knowing what was to come for him and David (and perhaps what was going on for David at the time)
  
  I was not raised in the Church of England and find it all quite bewildering. The endearing and the exasperating features (or some of them) are well conveyed, and the contrasts between parishes (I'd not registered his Knightsbridge stint before, I don't think)
  
  Of course his priestly life is leavened by his other work in broadcasting which is included, and by what I trust is a comfortable financial cushion from his previous existence creating glorious music (there is a lovely simple encounter with Jimmy Somerville related) So there's a good deal of travelling which you might not get from an average vicar struggling to make a stipend stretch... but its not your average celebrity fare even then.
• 
  David Campton

  A follow-up to his more chronologically autobiographical "Fathomless Riches" which chronicled his journey through his pop career into priesthood. This volume is an uneven assortment of "gleanings" from his years as a "celebrity" priest in Boston, Knightsbridge and Finedon, roughly (at some points very roughly) grouped around the church year from Petertide and his ordination, through to Pentecost. Some are stories. Some are mini-sermons. A combination of humour and serious reflection, that in places is riotously indiscrete and self-deprecating, whilst in others is somewhat veiled or even coy. In the midst of some relatively disposable chaff are some really worthwhile kernels of insight.
• 
  Karen

  I expected to enjoy this book and wasn’t disappointed. Richard Cole’s writing is so engaging, witty and full of touching moments. The stories and anecdotes do jump around a bit but once you got used to that it was a wonderful journey through the Church calendar, from a very personal perspective. He is so knowledgeable and explains religion and faith in a way that made sense to me and I love that he laughs at himself. I would recommend this book which is a charming, intellectual and funny insight into a devoted life.
• 
  Mick Meyers

  I do like these type of books,life of vets,policeman and vicars gets.if you are after a cosy read then this falls just short of the target.interesting anecdotes some more relevant than others.i get the impression even though he is good at his job,Richard comes across as a bit of a prickly personna and dosent suffers fools gladly. I am still interested in his other book which I have on my to read list.
• 
  Helen

  This is entertaining, full of compassion, often funny, but a little bit disjointed. It roughly follows the structure of the church year (but doesn't start in the usual place), but some of the stories seem a bit irrelevant to the part they are in. (One thing in particular I learned from this book - the plague of "values" statements which has spread to organisations up and down the land seems to have been a thing at the BBC for years. Why am I not surprised?)
• 
  Ruth Dipple

  The Rev Richard is a very interesting, observant and forthright person, who brings all these qualities to this book, musing over incidents in his life and ministry, interspersed with reflections on the Gospel and Christianity. He is very aware that Christianity is regarded as counter-cultural at best, irrelevant at worst but boldly sticks to his deepest instinct of faith, sometimes expressed provocatively. I enjoyed the book immensely.
• 
  Alison

  Had to renew my loan at the library as it wasn’t the ‘straightforward’ memoir I was expecting. As people have said it’s a bit of a mixed bag and for me at least wasn’t one to read in one go. Dipping in and out of the pieces worked much better for me and while I found some heavy reading, others were joyful, interesting and eye opening.
• 
  Lady

  dull as dish water . The stories was way too short so many times I'm saying what's the point in that one. or you are reading a story and then you go on to the next paragraph and your like is the the old story or the new one.
• 
  Shelley Wild

  So desperately wanted to enjoy this, as Rchard Coles is funny and entertaining but I didn't. Random stories, rather dry. I love reading about religion as well, but no. A shame. Perhaps just not my kind of style of book.
• 
  Patrick Cook

  This is really a commonplace book, which accounts for the common (and not inaccurate) claim that it's disjointed. But it's still delightful. Richard Coles remains one of the most appealing representatives of Anglicanism on the public stage.
• 
  Hannah Mercer

  I'm very fond of Reverend Coles, but it just wasn't for me. I need more of a narrative arc. These stories and experiences shaped around seasons in the Christian calendar jumped around chronologically in a way I found difficult to navigate.
• 
  Jane

  I love Richard Cole’s writing and anchoring his anecdotes to the liturgical year gave the book a pleasing structure and rhythm.
  Not sure I can forgive the use of ‘gurney’ for stretcher of ‘oriented’ for orientated. Looking towards USA sales perhaps.
• 
  Karen

  Disappointing. Attended a literary festival where Richard was interviewed, he came across as entertaining but this book was very dry.
• 
  Debbie Young

  Would be a better book if better edited - too much stuff left in that should have been cut as trivial, uninteresting and not up to the standard of the rest/the best of the book.
• 
  Ginny Burt

  Think it has to be said he is better at the spoken word rather than writing! Love him on Saturday Live but this book doesn't work!