Viktor E. Frankl

This author'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, he argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward. 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. This book 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.

Man's Search for Meaning

jenna de nobrega 

to live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering

Viennese psychiatrist tells his grim experiences in a German concentration camp which led him to logotherapy, an existential method of psychiatry.

Edward Steel

Vojtech

The privilege of actually smoking cigarettes was reserved for the Capo, who had his assured quota of weekly coupons; or possibly for a prisoner who worked as a foreman in a warehouse or workshop and received a few cigarettes in exchange for doing dangerous jobs. The only exceptions to this were those who had lost the will to live and wanted to 'enjoy' their last days. Thus, when we saw a comrade smoking his own cigarettes, we knew he had given up faith in his strength to carry on, and, once lost, the will to live seldom returned.

men's search for meaning

michaela bakajsova

Clara Rosenfeld

Obada Mu

Brilliant, I liked this book. It is a research explains how a prisoner can adapt new environment in both sides the psychological and the Physical one especially in tough times. 
This book talks about those poor people in terrible situations who were ruled by the most dangerous soldiers. The author shows how and when the prisoner could change and when he would reach his maximum to be in a dead status so he would stop feel anything more.
All these were during the Nazi period. Period was like hell on those poor prisoners also on the world in general.

I recommend this book to everyone.

poprika

Perfect reminder ! 
The o ny negative thing is ending was a bit long and felt self-centered

Ein Psychologe erlebt das Konzentrationslager

... trotzdem Ja zum Leben sagen

genial. Da una mirada única de lo que fue haber pasado por la experiencia de un campo de concentración; y aún así, encontrándole un sentido a todo. 

Me hizo pensar en amor fati: "Der Mensch muss sich auch dem Leid gegenüber zu dem Bewußtsein durchdringen, daß er mit diesem leidvollen Schicksal sozusagen im ganzen Kosmos einmalig und einzigartig dasteht. Niemand kann es ihm abnehmen, niemand kann an seiner Stelle dieses Leid durchleiden. Darin aber, wie er selbst, der von diesem Schicksal Betroffene, dieses Leid trägt, darin liegt auch die einmalige Möglichkeit zu einer einzigartigen Leistung."

benja

genial. Da una mirada única de lo que fue haber pasado por la experiencia de un campo de concentración; y aún así, encontrándole un sentido a todo. 

Me hizo pensar en amor fati: "Der Mensch muss sich auch dem Leid gegenüber zu dem Bewußtsein durchdringen, daß er mit diesem leidvollen Schicksal sozusagen im ganzen Kosmos einmalig und einzigartig dasteht. Niemand kann es ihm abnehmen, niemand kann an seiner Stelle dieses Leid durchleiden. Darin aber, wie er selbst, der von diesem Schicksal Betroffene, dieses Leid trägt, darin liegt auch die einmalige Möglichkeit zu einer einzigartigen Leistung."

neko

Surprisingly inspirational and thought-provoking.

Arturo Hernández

“Frankl saw three posible sources for meaning: in work (doing something significant), in Kobe (caring for another person) and in courage in difficult times (we give each suffering meaning by the way in which we respond to it)”

“You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you will feel and do about what happens to you”

“Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it”

“The angels are lost in perpetual contemplation of an infinite glory”

“He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how”

Reinier Terblanche

A must-read. This book opened my eyes to the evil of the Nazi concentration camps from the perspective of the author - who lived through Auschwitz and survived to share his experiences and reflections in the form of this profound book. 

In the midst of such suffering and evil, the author makes a case for "meaning" as the most essential drive of the human soul. His argument is that a man who has purpose, and understands the reason for his existence, can live through and overcome even the most terrible suffering. 

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how” - Nietzche

That's the first half of the book.

The second half of the book is a brief overview of Logotherapy. Which is a therapeutic method based on the conviction that life has a call on every man and woman. A call to which we are responsible.

A prominent Viennese psychiatrist recounts his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp that led to the development of his existentialist approach to psychotherapy. Reissue.

Azalea Wolong 

Really changed my perspective on life. I appreciate life more.

Siya S

"All that we have left is our naked existence" 

This is a compelling story about a man who entered the deadliest concentration camp in the history of mankind and walked out with the revelation on so many things in life. I don't think I could have stuck through until the end, had I chose to read it myself. Thanks to the audiobook version, I find this a lot easier to digest and go through in many parts of the story.

At the heart of the story is his theory on logotherapy, which is an art of finding something meaningful in life that is worth living for. It's as if it's just part of the packages, but we as a human cannot avoid devastating events that emerge to destroy us at any stage in life. For Frankl, it seems the only thing we could do is at least learn how to cope with it. Suffering, like everything in life, comes and goes. Finding the meaning in life at least grants you the purpose to navigate this world knowing why both good and bad things happen to you throughout the course of the long journey. 

I wish I have read this book when I was much much younger.

Every once in a while I read a book that fundamentally shapes my world view and leaves a lasting mark. This is one of them.

Daniel Friis

Elsayed Zaki

Out of all the places in the world that a man should find meaning in his life, you wouldn’t expect him to find it in Auschwitz! Life is not a quest of pleasure nor power but a quest for meaning. I really liked the first part of the book, him describing his experience in the concentration camp, the horror, the feelings and the choices. I really liked his notion that even in the bleakest of situations one still has the choice of how to handle his suffering. The fact that there were people in the camps, however few, that were willing to give their small piece of bread to others or go around comforting others was really extraordinary and restored my faith in humanity. The second part was more technical and a bit boring but I enjoyed learning about Logotherapy. 
The main takeaway from the book is this: we always ask what is the meaning of our lives and never really considered that we are the ones being asked. Life is constantly throwing obstacles in our faces, how you deal with them and how you answer those questions is what gives meaning to your life. Even in suffering, especially then, you can find/add more meaning.

Sarah Adel

"لقد دعوتُ الله مِن سجني الضيِّق، فأجابني في رحابة الكون”.

Shrouk Shafie

The most inspiring book I read so far in psychology. It's weird it was written that long ago, and still it can relate a lot to how most of us think right now. It got me interested in a lot of topics on psychology and logo-therapy.

Allison

Almost gave up reading once the second part started.

El Hombre En Busca del Sentido

Santi

Cuánta sabiduría, enseñanza y emoción en tan pocas páginas.

Jonah Stevenson

Read this book! Life changing material. What an incredible story and philosophy that Frankl describes. This book excites me as a professional in the helping field.

This book has the potential to change your life.  Or, at the very least, your perspective on life.  One of the most profound pieces of literature that I've read in a long time.  Published in 1946, but timeless in its scope.

Benjamin Harrison

Ammar Alakkad

I couldn't continue reading, it's too painful to read through such tragedy and remembering what was happening in Syria similar to what's being said.

The book might be great, I just couldn't move any further past the first 20% of it.

Rick Dobrowolski

Captivating book from a psychiatrist who was imprisoned in Auschwitz. He was the pioneer of a counseling method known as logotherapy, which deals more with a patient’s future than her past. This was a captivating look at the horrors of a concentration camp as well as a look into the minds of both the persecutors and the sufferers.

Marcella Chamorro

Amazing book and enlightening on many aspects of life and work.

Ugis

Viktor E. Frankl has used his his wisdom as a specialist and personal experience in Auschwitz concentration camp as a prism to describe the humanity, people and the meaning of life. And he has done a great job. If this book was an artwork I would hang it on the wall. [reading time: 4h53m]

Cams Campbell

This came along at a good time for me. I discovered it via an excellent post by Merlin Mann on his 43folders.com website, entitled No One Needs Permission to be Awesome, in which he states: 

If that sounds like fancy incense for hippies and children, perhaps in a way that seems frankly un-doable for someone as practical and important and immortal as yourself, then go face death.
Go get cancer. Or, go get crushed by a horse Or, go get hit by a van. Or, go get separated from everything you ever loved forever.

The part in bold is the part that relates to Viktor Frankl. 

I've been in the 12-step AA program for over 5 years now and it has helped me immensely in finding meaning. The whole idea of 'not regretting the past nor wishing to shut the door on it' ties in nicely with Viktor Frankl's philosophy. 

I shan't give a synopsis of the book. Amazon does that nicely. What I will do is illustrate the parts that jumped out at me. 

Firstly, it's okay not to be happy. There is huge potential for growth in suffering. This I have learned for myself, but to have it set down on paper with such great examples is very helpful to me. 

Next, the true meaning of one's life may not be truly discernible until one reaches the end of one's life. People can actually change; this I know to be true through AA. The example he gives is of a doctor who was monstrous during the holocaust, but about whom he heard tales of goodness years later. 

More may come back to me and I really shouldn't be attempting to write this in the few minutes that I have, but I know that if I don't write it now, it may not get written at all!

The first half of the book as about Frankl's time in concentration camps. The second half covers his philosophy of logotherapy (meaning therapy), which he had started to formulate before being arrested and deported to the camps. He actually refused to emigrate to the safety of the USA, knowing full well that he would end up in a concentration camp, because he felt it was his duty to remain with his family. His expectant wife, brother and both parents did not survive the camps. Imagine finding meaning after that? But he does. 

If 42 no longer suffices for you as an answer, try this book. It could help!

Cheri Fuller

Viktor Frankl was a famous psychiatrist who also endured concentration camps. First part of this book is about his experiences there. Second part talks about 

. Where Freud saw desires, Adler power, Frankl sees "meaning" as the main motivation power for a man.

From all the self-help books this one is actually interesting.

Viktor Frankl was a famous psychiatrist who also endured concentration camps. First part of this book is about his experiences there. Second part talks about logotherapy. Where Freud saw desires, Adler power, Frankl sees "meaning" as the main motivation power for a man.

From all the self-help books this one is actually interesting.

Emily Morgan

“Step by step I progressed, until I again became a human being”. My psychologist recommended this book to me after we spoke about what it means to embody your values. Frankl is possibly the best example of this.

Man's Search for Meaning

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