Man's Search for Meaning

By: Viktor E. Frankl

Narrated by: Theo Solomon

As relevant today as it was when it was first published, Man’s Search for Meaning is a book for finding strength and purpose in times of great despair.

“This is a book I reread a lot … it gives me hope … it gives me a sense of strength.”—Anderson Cooper, Anderson Cooper 360/CNN

Viktor E. Frankl was a medical doctor at a psychiatric hospital in 1942 when he became a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps in World War II. In 1946, he published this book about his camp experiences and a method of psychotherapy he developed. Forty-five years later, it was still named one of the most influential books in the United States.

Part One describes his three years in four Nazi concentration camps, which took the lives of his wife, father, mother, and brother. He closely observed inmates’ reactions to their situation, as well as how survivors came to terms with their liberation.

Part Two, introducing logotherapy, is an academic discussion of the psychological reactions experienced by all inmates to one degree or another. It solidified Frankl’s early theory that humanity’s primary motivational force is finding meaning in one’s life.

In Germany, titled Ein Psychologe erlebt das Konzentrationslager, or A Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp, its title in the first English translation was From Death-Camp to Existentialism. As of 2022, this book has sold 16 million copies and been published in 52 languages.

©1959, 1962, 1984, 1992, 2006 Viktor E. Frankl (P)2024 Blackstone Publishing

A Must Read For All

This is one of those books that you don’t just read once. You read it, then read it again, and then continue reading it, living it, and studying it.

So much to learn for this man’s life and life’s work. His purpose was and still is to teach people how to find their purpose. Thank you Viktor Frankl for this wonderful gift.

Optimism Despite Concentration Camps

Frankl, and his family, were put in concentration camps, and the first two-thirds(-ish) of the book told of some of the things he endured. It’s surely not the worst stories told of concentration camps and the victims they produced, and he eludes to that which the latter parts of the book refers. It loosely tells of “logotherapy,” his speciality in neurology and psychology. This is how he made it through those torturous years: essentially, thinking of the future and not the present. In the present, he was a victim of SS guards and a Nazi regime. In the future, he was living a wonderful life with his wife. Frankl was very intelligent and, without giving himself any glory, he briefly told how he composed this spectacular book in less than a week. The narrator of this book was quite phenomenal, too, clearly articulating most footnotes as well as the rest of the words, whether they were the forward, by Harold Kushner, the majority of the book, by Frankl, and the afterword, by William Winslade. Well-done to all involved!

Meaningless or do we have the right attitude to give it meaning.

You have the freedom to choose your perspective/ perception and you have the will to choose meaning or pleasure.

The message n view of the meaning of life

The book left me n a rollercoaster, I was recommended to read this book from a friend n I just wanna say, this was worth it, I love books like this.

Incredible

Definitely recommend! The beginning is horrific, I’d recommend not starting the book unless you have an hour or more to give to your first sitting. (To get thru the traumatic recount of the concentration camps). It’s an amazing juxtaposition to then move into “what is meaning and where is it found?”.

Thank you

Thank you for the vital reminder to face suffering and fear with compassion, responsibility, and dignity.

The meaning of Life

Beautiful Book I wish I would’ve read it sooner but everything happens for a reason

Excellent!

Humble, informative in a practical sense. Well read as well. You get a picture of the horrors of WWII and a tool to overcome difficult external forces. Thank you!

Love this book

It was slow at first, but the second part really opened my eyes to the true meaning of life. It is a must read/listen that everyone should read/listen to

Was this a good book?

This book was a little bit hard to follow.
It jumped from topic to topic too fast for me.
The overall theme was good. But I didn’t like how some of the book was written, because it was confusing at times. I give this book a (B+).