Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl
The classic tribute to hope from the Holocaust…
An inspiring “behind the scenes” look at the thought processes that solidified the concepts of Logotherapy in the mind of Viktor Frankl.
In his own words, Viktor Frankl takes us through the horrors of his life in the Nazi concentration camps, explaining in vivid details the complete breakdown of the human condition and psyche as observed in the worst possible conditions where no-one would judge any man or woman for any decision or lapse in judgement as a condition of survival.
On the one side, it is one of the best books I have had the privilege to read that so clearly explains the day-to-day life of a camp resident.
“This joyful surprise put us all in a good mood. The wish of the senior warden of our hut in Auschwitz had come true: we had come, as quickly as possible, to a camp which did not have a “chimney”—unlike Auschwitz. We laughed and cracked jokes in spite of, and during, all we had to go through in the next few hours…”
(In other words… they had come to a camp without a crematorium or gas chambers, and therefor, although they are sure to die, they would not be dying “today”)
Insights into the lives of the camp residents make an impact beyond mere speculation and theorising. His therapies are built on real-world suffering and survival which gives credibility to Viktor Frankl’s Logo Therapy beyond mere academia.
I highly… highly recommend reading this book. Even if you have absolutely no interest in logotherapy, the insights into the human condition are beautiful and mind-blowing.
