Man's Search for Meaning

by Viktor E. Frankl

Paperback, 165 pages

English language

Published Aug. 6, 2007 by Beacon Press.

ISBN:: 978-0-8070-1429-5
OCLC Number:: 80723125

(188 reviews)

Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Based on his own experience and the stories of his patients, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. At the heart of his theory, known as logotherapy, is a conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure but the pursuit of what we find meaningful. Man's Search for Meaning has become one of the most influential books in America; it continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very act of living. (back cover)

45 editions

kmdk reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's Search for Meaning" on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Technically, the overall writing of the book was not amazing. The first part is biographical, and the second part is about logotherapy, which Frankl developed. You can read about logotherapy at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logotherapy.

Despite the choppiness of the book as a while, I was quite fascinated by the topic of logotherapy, which I don't think I had expressly heard of before. I think the impression was enhanced by coming on the heels of the description of Frankl's life in concentration camps. I've visited Auschwitz once when I was in Poland because friends said it is something one ought to do for the sake of future generations - to remember. When I heard Frankl's story (I was listening to an audio book), I could see some vague images from my memory, which hammered home the harsh realities and horrible tragedies he described.

This book was recently recommended to me by a few people during a conversation we had at a conference. I cannot remember how the topic came up, but I am pleasantly surprised at how fast I was able to get the book from my library. I found a lot of food for thought in his writing. I have now ordered the paper book from the library to revisit a few sections. I may even end up buying it to have on my bookshelf. Very crudely put, I'd say there is a lot about "looking at things from a different angle", and I found those elements very inspiring and in line with some things I have heard over the years or some attitudes I have adopted or learned over the years. I even end up recommending the book to someone today, but they already knew about the book and admired Frankl. They had learned about Frankl through reading Edith Eger, so that turned me around to go and request one of Eger's books!

This won't be the last time I recommend this book.

Update:
Adding these three reviews with highlights as references that I find useful.

https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/ics-madrid/news/2023/12/15/book-by-viktor-frankl-takeaways

https://www.realtimeperformance.com/5-lessons-from-viktor-frankls-book-mans-search-for-meaning/

https://benjaminmcevoy.com/7-lessons-learned-mans-search-meaning-viktor-e-frankl-book-review/

Devin J Hernandez reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's Search for Meaning" on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

short but impactful book about finding meaning in life, even in tough times. Frankl shares his own story from a concentration camp, teaching us important lessons about resilience and hope. It's a great read for anyone looking for inspiration and guidance in finding purpose.

Lavinia reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Finding Life's Meaning

5 stars

In the darkest corners of human existence, where hope seems a distant memory, Viktor E. Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" emerges as a profound testament to the indomitable human spirit. This is a story of tragedy and triumph, illustrating the power of hope and resilience.

The Holocaust, one of the greatest tragedies in human history, casts a long shadow over Viktor E. Frankl's narrative. Deported to concentration camps, Frankl confronts the depths of human suffering and loss. Yet, amidst the ruins of humanity, he uncovers a remarkable truth: the unbreakable human spirit. His story, interwoven with the silent struggles of his fellow inmates, serves as a universal symbol of resistance against despair and dehumanization.

Central to the book is the quest for life’s meaning. Frankl's experiences in the concentration camps profoundly influenced his existential outlook and his perspective on life, emphasizing the significance of finding meaning even in the most extreme conditions, maintaining a positive attitude, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

His personal suffering and the loss of his loved ones during this period reinforced his belief in the necessity of finding purpose. He proposes that suffering, love, and work are key paths to discovering life's meaning. Suffering, he argues, is not devoid of meaning but a potential source of it. Life, Frankl argues, holds a purpose in all circumstances, and our primary drive is to uncover this meaning.

This is a profound and philosophical question. The topic of life and death has been explored in depth in philosophy, religion, and literature throughout history. Like Victor E. Frankl, some philosophers argue that the awareness of mortality can give life meaning and urgency, leading to a fuller and more complete life. Martin Heidegger claimed that ‘being-towards-death’ grounds the temporality of Dasein (the experience of human beings), which is foundational for the meaning we give our lives.

On the other side, some, like Susanna Siegel, argue that life could be complete without death if one lives fully and realizes their potential. I’m leaning towards the latter, mostly because I am influenced by Epicurus, the ancient Greek philosopher, who argued that a correct understanding of death, may eliminate the fear of death, which is essential to having a happy life. Ultimately, I believe that the completeness of human life may be more about how one lives rather than the inevitability of death.

Frankl’s observations of human behaviour in the camps, where he witnessed acts of kindness and selflessness amid extreme suffering, also shaped his belief in the importance of individual choice and attitude, leading to his famous insight that "we always retain the ability to choose our attitude." He wrote:

"We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts, comforting others and giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man, but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way."

In the context of the Holocaust, freedom too takes on a new dimension. It is not a static state but a dynamic process. Despite the constraints of their circumstances, individuals possess the power to interpret, respond to, and even transform their situations. This form of freedom is not about escaping conditions but about how we engage with them. It is a call to embrace our capacity to shape our destiny, even amidst various constraints.

The latter part of the book introduces logotherapy, Frankl's psychological approach that emphasizes the pursuit of meaning. Logotherapy (logos is a Greek word that denotes meaning) is based on the premise that the primary human drive is not pleasure, as Freud suggested, nor power, as Adler argued, but rather the pursuit of what we find meaningful. This theory has contributed significantly to existential and humanistic psychology, emphasizing the individual's search for meaning as a key to mental health.

Viktor E. Frankl's book can have a profound impact on the reader. It’s not just a narrative of survival. It is an invitation to choose to find a purpose or meaning in any situation, including the worst conditions. In the darkest of places, he reminds us that we can still find light and meaning, ultimately shaping our own destiny.

ouch6854@comelibros.club reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's Search for Meaning" on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Combinando vivencias con análisis médico, este libro deja huella en todo aquel que lo lea. Lecciones, una tras otra, que te maravillan y asustan al mismo tiempo, y que espero que causen las mejores reflexiones en las mentes de toda persona digna.

VKZ reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

El hombre en busca de sentido

5 stars

Viktor Frankl nos trae sus experiencias en un campo de concentración y cómo logra superar ése calvario.

Cuando uno pasa por una crisis y se enfrenta a la pérdida del sentido de vida, uno debería aferrarse a algo, ¿Qué le da sentido a tu vida? Si encuentras ése ancla a la realidad logras superar, no sin esfuerzo la adversidad. Lectura obligada para cuando estás bien y sobre todo para cuando estás mal.

La logoterapia nace de aquí y el enfrentarse a las cosas es para muchos, la vía a la recuperación.

Picop Trocs reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Doesn't need my opinion

3 stars

But... I didn't really engage with it. The stories are obviously huge and terrible and we all should know all of this very well. And I do. It was just nothing that I didn't already deeply know at this point in my life so I abandoned the book without finishing it. But you know, do read it. Kids: read it! If there's anything in there that you didn't know, or that can still unlock new depths of humanity for you, you must read it! I didn't need to at this point and there's so much to be read and so little time! So I moved on pretty quick.

Magnus reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's Search for Meaning" on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

The first portion of the book is the most important to read. The second portion is more for those interested in human psychology and therapy.

Cameron Johnson reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Moving and Concise

5 stars

Frankl recounts his experiences in a concentration camp, describing how even in suffering human life has meaning, and how that meaning combats Nihilism.

Aidan Reads reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's Search for Meaning" on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

A powerful and inspiring work on how to find meaning in the life that’s in front of you, how to endure and find meaning even in the worst of suffering. And an introduction to the author’s theory of logotherapy.

Zelanator reviewed Man's search for meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's search for meaning" on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Divided into two parts, the first relates the inspirational survival of four concentration camps during the Holocaust with the important lesson being the positive correlation between one’s ability to maintain hope and their ability to survive. The second explains the system of Logotherapy pioneered by the author and a branch of Freudian psychoanalysis. Here the therapeutic setting is to help individuals understand the deeper meaning of suffering in life, their specific purpose, and to overcome mental tension by finding a broader individualized meaning for their existence.

hiepph reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's Search for Meaning" on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

In the worst period of my life, I felt ill and depressed all the time. But only one thing that kept me going is the work I was doing back then. I'm a programmer. A simple routine of writing programs every day brought me little joy even I have nothing to hope for in the future.

Years after I crawled out from that depression, I have to nod to every single word of this book.
Everyone is different, and we can't deduce the vast life into three single meanings. But at least I find these meanings stay true to myself.

The first meaning is work. As I told my story, it was my saviour. It still is.

The second meaning is love. You sure know that sensation when you think about someone and you strive your best to protect her, or at least to not disappoint her.

The third meaning …

formerlytomato reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Strong first half, weak second half

4 stars

First half was an incredibly insightful look into the nature of man, and investigated an angle of the concentration camp not often looked at. The second half, which deals with his own theory of logotherapy feels a lot less impressive, mostly just reiterating things already implicit in the first half but a lot less convincingly.

decadent_and_depraved reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's Search for Meaning" on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

"Sometimes, however, it takes a lot of didactic tricks to detach people from their superstitions."
Certainly, Doctor Frankl. You, hopefully, eventually realized that free will is also a superstition.

Stuart Woodward reviewed Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's Search for Meaning" on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This really is a great book encompassing the whole gamut of human emotions. Having experienced the most meaningless suffering of the concentration camps Viktor Frankl examines what distinguished those who lived and died and boiled it down to those who had a meaning in their life survived and those who could find none, in many cases died. I love his analogy of the meaning of a book or movie. “How do you know the ultimate meaning unless you hang in to the end?”

This is not an explanation of what is the meaning of life, the universe and everything but a framework for discovering what the meaning of your life could be. Since this such an old book I kind of regret that I didn’t read it earlier and now understand why it is so often mentioned. Such is life.

Jero reviewed Man's search for meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Review of "Man's search for meaning" on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

The last book I read during this year (2015) and the one with the most impact on me. A long time since a book made me think, feel and reflect so deeply on life. Truly a a masterpiece and a gem of a book!