Details from Audible:
Man’s Search for Meaning
Written by
Narrated by
About this listen
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
Initial Thoughts:
This is going to be a difficult book to review, not because I didn’t enjoy it, it’s wonderful, and I loved it, but because of the setting, concentration camps in WWII Nazi Germany. I will do my very best to be sensitive and respectful, but if I somehow slip up, I hope you will forgive me. I have thought about the meaning of life for a good 25 years now, and when my therapist recommended this book, I decided to give it a listen.
Main Points:
As I mentioned above, as a non-Jewish person, I will never come close to understanding the magnitude, horror or personal connection to the Holocaust, so I’ll keep any mention brief and do my best to be empathetic. I loved this book; it offers wonderful insight into human nature, both dark and light, and it really gives you great suggestions for what your life could mean. That said, there are sections in the first part where he describes the death camp and the horrors he had to endure that were truly disturbing. I won’t go into details, and thankfully, we are spared truly graphic ones. Frankel says that he doesn’t need to describe what happened to 6 million Jewish people, as it has been done by other writers, and that’s not the point of his book. It’s hard to imagine the suffering Frankel went through; his parents, brother and wife (who was pregnant) all died in the death camps. Frankel himself nearly died of typhoid, but was back working at the same hospital in Vienna just a few months after recuperating. He finished a draft of this book in just 9 days and did what a truly great doctor/intellectual can: he examined what happened to him, primarily without emotion, as an example of how people can survive, even remain hopeful, under such terrifying conditions. He saw the very best and very worst of humanity and was not filled with hatred, only the belief that no matter how evil a person may act, there is always a chance of redemption. Frankel also firmly believes that being hopeful and positive about life plays a very important part in your mental and physical health, and I agree. He hammers this point home with examples of people who just gave up on life at Auschwitz and were all dead within days.
As for his answer on the meaning of life, well, it’s both complicated and simple. He said it can be hard to define, as for many people it changes every day, if not every hour. He says that hobbies and interests, along with nature, beauty and art, can all give temporary meaning and happiness. He goes on to say that you need to find a purpose in life, one that is outside of yourself and that for many people, loving their partner and feeling loved in return is all the meaning they will ever need. Frankel believed in helping people, as he could during his long life, find meaning and therefore give his own life purpose. He talks about how the Holocaust showed the very worst of humanity, and yet it also displayed the undeniable strength of the human spirit, the idea that even if everything you had was taken away from you, you still retain your dignity and your kindness, your memories and emotions and the abliity to choose to help others and it is those things that truly make us who we are. Part two of the book gets into much more about his own method, logotherapy and how he helped many people with various problems, including dealing with grief, finding happiness after horrific injuries and sexual problems. I also loved part four, as it summarizes the whole book so well, gives more insight into Frankel, and highlights what an amazing person he was.
Final Thoughts:
This book really gave me a lot to think about, aside from reflecting on the unbelievable loss that was the Holocaust (and disturbing similarities with some current events), I found myself wondering if I have led a meaningful life. I find no purpose in my job, like most people, and I can only hope that my spread positivity and being hopeful about the world rubs off on others. I will certainly consider listening to other books by Frankel, and I’ll let this one sit with me for a long time. Due to very mature subject matter, I would say ages 19+. As I mentioned, several parts during part 1 are very hard to get through, but it’s worth it. I give this 9 out of 10 and would very strongly recommend it to anyone who can handle the mature subject matter. My only real complaint is that it was short; I could have listened to much more from this brilliant and thoughtful man. If Frankel could survive 5 death camps, what do I have to complain about? Life is a gift, and you must find your purpose, do something that makes the world better, and you’ll find happiness and meaning, as well.