Review of Your Great Name

[Manang Muyang]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Your Great Name" by Shawn Funk.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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As a Catholic, I was eager to look into this book of 39 short poems written by Shawn Funk. Your Great Name was engendered after the author “discovered the worlds [sic] best preserved [sic] armoured dinosaur fossil” in 2011. The poems mostly focused on glorifying God for his gifts: creation, his love for humankind from Adam’s time to the present age, and eternal life. For me, the author achieved his purpose to “bring inspiration and comfort to all his readers wherever they find themselves in their faith journey.” I would be delighted to see these poems made into praise songs. One could choose to read a poem or two for motivation at the start of the day or as a thanksgiving prayer before going to bed. The collection also included poems written for his parents, wife, and children.

Here are my favorite poems: Poem # 5 talks about creation, Lucifer’s rebellion, Jesus’s death on the cross and his resurrection, and Jesus’s second coming. God’s healing and mercy are highlighted in Poem # 6. In Poem # 7, one will read about Adam’s fall, Jonah’s stubbornness, and Jesus’s incarnation, sacrificial death on the cross, and resurrection. Poem # 9 features God’s sense of humor! Poem # 33 shows God telling the arrogant Satan that he wants his son, humankind, back because Jesus has paid the price for humankind’s sins.

Most of the poems were written in rhyming couplets or quatrains with a singsong meter. I didn’t see any verses which would be difficult to decode, but a number of poems needed the reader to be familiar with the Bible stories alluded to. Adam and Eve, King David, Job, Paul, and Abraham and Isaac were some of the characters cited, yet most times, the characters were not named. I would suggest that the author include a glossary that would contain the Bible verses for those stories, especially for readers who are not Bible-savvy.

The first poem served as a fitting introduction whereby the author presented the works of great poets like Shakespeare and declared that none of them could surpass the writer of the Bible, God himself. I would have wanted a conclusion or message from the author, though. I liked the author’s use of repetition, much like a song’s refrain, in several poems. One such poem was Poem # 7, where the question “Where art thou?” was used for stories involving Adam and Eve, Jonah, and Jesus on the cross and after his resurrection.

Aside from the suggested glossary and conclusion mentioned above, I have additional recommendations for the author: It would be good to have titles for the poems for better recall. (Shakespeare did not name his 154 sonnets, but this style may not work for today’s busy readers.) I would also propose grouping the poems by theme: creation, Old Testament stories, the end times, poems for his family members, and so on. Another round of editing would make the pieces even better; the numerous errors I found may be corrected quickly.

In summary, I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars. While I liked all the poems, the book could be better organized. Correcting the errors would also be ideal. A fan of Christian poetry would be happy with this collection, but even non-Christians could enjoy the poems’ cadence and their messages of affirmation.

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Your Great Name
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[Paul Link]

Thank you for sharing a detailed and thoughtful review.Your insights on the book's purpose to glorify God's gifts, eternal life and bring inspiration and comfort to readers were well-articulated. Your in-depth analysis of your favorite poems gave a clear picture of the content and the author's technique.

[Manang Muyang]

Thank you for sharing a detailed and thoughtful review.Your insights on the book's purpose to glorify God's gifts, eternal life and bring inspiration and comfort to readers were well-articulated. Your in-depth analysis of your favorite poems gave a clear picture of the content and the author's technique.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The book was inspiring and comforting.

[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

Though I have a hard time understanding poems, it seems that the topic is one of my things since I am also Catholic. It feels like this book is a refreshment for some famous passages in the Bible. Your review is amazing, Miriam!

[Bettny Andrade]

I really like the poems, and although I don't remember much about the metrics, I always try to enjoy the message that is often evoked in such simple ways that it tends to get lost when you're not paying attention.

That's a great review, thank you very much.

[Manang Muyang]

Though I have a hard time understanding poems, it seems that the topic is one of my things since I am also Catholic. It feels like this book is a refreshment for some famous passages in the Bible. Your review is amazing, Miriam!

Thanks for the kind words, Hazel. I don’t think you'll have trouble with these poems. It would also be fun to see if you can guess who the Bible characters are.

[Manang Muyang]

I really like the poems, and although I don't remember much about the metrics, I always try to enjoy the message that is often evoked in such simple ways that it tends to get lost when you're not paying attention.

That's a great review, thank you very much.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Bettny! The poems are short, so there is no risk of getting lost. If you do, remember that Jesus is the way.

[Sarah Zain]

It may not be suitable for me, but I really liked how you described how the book needs to be improved and gave a clear view of the book.

[Manang Muyang]

It may not be suitable for me, but I really liked how you described how the book needs to be improved and gave a clear view of the book.

Thanks for taking time to read my review, Sarah!
I do hope the author doesn’t mind my meddling.

[Sarah Zain]

It may not be suitable for me, but I really liked how you described how the book needs to be improved and gave a clear view of the book.

Thanks for taking time to read my review, Sarah!
I do hope the author doesn’t mind my meddling.

It was my pleasure. I don't think he'll mind. You made it clear in a sincere way that stems from your admiration for the book, and this is evident in your words, Manang.

[MsH2k]

I would love to check out Poem # 9: I wonder how the author presents God's sense of humor. And the recurring question in Poem # 7 intrigues me. It reminds me of how Hosea 11:1 can refer to both the nation of Israel and Jesus.

Thank you for your thoughtful introduction of this collection, Miriam. I hope you had a great day!

[King Nyebuchi]

Your meticulous analysis of your favorite poems provides a clear and vivid understanding of both the content and the author's techniques. I genuinely value your review and the insights you've shared.

[Manang Muyang]

I would love to check out Poem # 9: I wonder how the author presents God's sense of humor. And the recurring question in Poem # 7 intrigues me. It reminds me of how Hosea 11:1 can refer to both the nation of Israel and Jesus.

Thank you for your thoughtful introduction of this collection, Miriam. I hope you had a great day!

Thank you for reading my review on my birthday, Donna!

[Manang Muyang]

Your meticulous analysis of your favorite poems provides a clear and vivid understanding of both the content and the author's techniques. I genuinely value your review and the insights you've shared.

Thanks for your comment. I hope you can share my experience with the book.

[Odichimma Okoye]

Your unbiased perspective makes the book seem even better. Writing poems in the appraisal of God's handiwork is wonderful indeed. Your review is also very well-written.