Official Review: Manna for The Hungry

[Chigozie Anuli Mbadugha]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Manna for The Hungry" by Linda Perry McCarthy.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I started reading Manna for The Hungry by Linda Perry McCarthy, truly desirous of manna. I was eager to see the messages, love, and food for thought in this potpourri of poetry mentioned in the introduction to the book. The book contains several free-verse poems and a few poems that rhyme. The author writes a lot about nature, weather, and seasons. She also writes about God, creation, and her perception of God. The themes explored are topical and universal. She used personification a lot in the poems. For example, she writes about the sun smiling and the sea calling her. Her use of personification provided clarity and evoked imagery for me. Her style of writing is simple and easy to understand and will appeal to readers from different cultural backgrounds.

All the poems appeared personal and heartfelt. From the tone of her poems, Linda Perry McCarthy loves nature and staying outdoors. She appears to have a keen sense of observation and draws inspiration for her poems from nature. She sees God in creation or nature and states this in one of her poems titled ‘In God.’

I enjoyed reading the poems and pondering on them. They are not poems that one should read quickly without reflecting on the message the poet is trying to deliver. I had several favorite poems, and the more I read, the more difficult it became to choose a favorite poem. The poem “Manna in my Wilderness” was my first choice of a favorite poem until I read further and discovered other poems.

The first non-religious poem in the book was, “When did I get Old?” Being middle-aged, I could appreciate this poem. I must admit that it does get a little uncomfortable, as one gets older, to look in the mirror and see the effect of the years on one’s physique. I liked the poem on marriage titled “True Liberty.” The following verses from it spoke to me:
“I’m freer in loving my husband
Than when I was free to roam
True liberty comes when with our God
We build an eternal home.”

I think Manna for The Hungry was professionally edited because I did not find any grammatical or formatting errors. This is unusual and exceptional. I did not dislike anything about this book. Christian readers will find this book a helpful tool for meditations on nature, creation, and God. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because it was exceptionally well-edited and because it made me appreciate the beauty of nature more.

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Manna for The Hungry
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[justjim]

I'm not a big fan of poetry books but Manna for The Hungry sounds interesting. The poem on marriage really struck me. Thanks!

[Letora]

I enjoy reading poetry but I don't like to read anything pertaining to religion. I might enjoy a portion of the poems, but most likely not all of them. Thank you for your review!

[kdstrack]

The author's poems sound heartfelt and sincere. I enjoyed your description of the variety of themes she touches on and the joy that emanates from her verses. Thanks for this beautiful recommendation.

[Infinite I]

I am not a Christian. But still I think this book will be helpful for me. Thanks for the review