Man's Search for Meaning has riveted generations of readers with its description of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Between 1942 and 1945 psychiatrist Viktor Frankl laboured in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience and the stories of his many 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. 

Frankl‘s theory, known as logotherapy, holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful. In the decades since its first publication, Man’s Search for Meaning has become one of the most influential books worldwide. It continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very active living.

Born in Vienna in 1905, Victor E. Frankel earned an M.D. and a PhD from the University of Vienna. He published more than thirty books on theoretical and clinical psychology and served as a visiting professor, and lecturer at Harvard, Stanford and elsewhere. Frankel died 1997. 

*This synopsis has been transcribed from the back cover of the book, Man’s Search for Meaning.

Nonfiction. Memoir. Biography. Autobiography. Holocaust. Spirituality. Personal Development. Psychology. Philosophy. Logotherapy.

Overview:
Man’s Search for Meaning is a book that combines author Viktor E. Frankl’s memoir of life in a Nazi concentration camp with an introduction to his psychological theory, logotherapy. The book is split into two sections rather than chapters, with part one focusing on his ‘Experiences in a Concentration Camp’ and part two on ‘Logotherapy in a Nutshell’.

The combination of being his harrowing memoir and a psychological text makes this book all the more powerful. Why? Because it delves into the psychology of Frankl’s experiences and draws psychological conclusions about the human condition, particularly human suffering, rather than just recounting it.

Part One:
In part one, ‘Experiences in a Concentration Camp’, we’re faced with the experience of arriving in a camp. We’re walked through the psychological process of prisoners as first being shock, followed by despair, and finally apathy. But Frankl also makes sure to assert that despite the apathy that ensued in camp life and their being subjected to brutal and inhumane conditions, life still had meaning. Therefore, their suffering could still have purpose. He continued by discussing the importance of finding one’s personal meaning as one’s way to survive. Though incredibly heartbreaking and, at times, challenging to read—emotionally, part one highlights the potential for us all to find hope, faith, and meaning even in the most dire of circumstances.

Part Two:
Part two goes on to introduce us to logotherapy and its foundations. Frankl’s own experience becomes a testament to this psychological theory, which determines that there is the potential to find meaning and hope in suffering. He then claims that having and following our purpose in life provides meaning and is one’s central motivation. Now, this is where we started to ponder the hedonic versus eudaimonic debate. We’re not sure that we fully agree with Frankl in his view that purpose is one’s core motivation and that pleasure can’t be a primary drive in life—at least some of the time, but we do agree that having a purpose, experiencing love or growth through suffering are all powerful sources of meaning. Part two is rounded out with Frankl emphasising that our ultimate freedom lies in our ability to access and maintain a sense of inner spirit—our freedom to choose our attitude, behaviour and beliefs in any circumstance.

Final Thoughts:
In sharing experiences and psychological conclusions simultaneously, Man's Search for Meaning inspires us to evaluate our own life’s purpose and meaning. Frankl helps us see that life’s meaning is not esoteric—that there’s not one sole greater meaning. Meaning is relative to each of us as individuals. It must consider where we are in our lives, the circumstances we find ourselves in, and what we value most.

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*You can download these questions as a print-friendly PDF here.

Man’s Search for Meaning is currently available as an audiobook on Audible. It can also be purchased at major retailers, such as Booktopia and Dymocks.