Book Review: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

⭐ Rating - 4/5

The World War era was a fascinating time period in the history of the world. It is a reflection of how the same species can be on the opposite ends - of kindness and cruelty. Viktor Frankl, a professor in psychology, was a survivor of the gruesome Holocaust. This book is written from a psychologist's standpoint, more than a survivor's standpoint.

There are two parts to this book: the first, where the author gives an autobiographical description of life inside concentration camp, and the many ways to look at it; and second, a psychological viewpoint that creates another school of thought apart from Freudian and Adlerian psychology, viz, Logotherapy.

I, first, read this book back in 2014, when I was right out of college, into my first job. I haven't read this book since then, yet when I read it again this year, it was still as fresh in my memory as it could have been. Dr. Frankl's take on life inside of a concentration camp, and observation about the various facets of the very same people when put in different situations is relatable, in a much more grim manner. The idea that as long as a man knows of the why, he can survive any situation, is cemented in his autobiographical segment.

The concept devised by Dr. Frankl - Logotherapy talks about deriving purpose, and idea that life is purpose driven. We often seek meaning to life. Logotherapy helps us understand just that. From what I understood - It is important to note that sometimes, we may not be entirely aware of our purpose, yet we must endure - and the reason to do so may not be clear to us in that moment, but when we look at things in the hindsight, more often than not, most of it can be given a meaningful context.

It is a short, intriguing and a valuable read. I would recommend this book to almost everyone even though there are certain areas where I critique this book. Although, it is an easy read, there are some shortcomings to the content from a psychology standpoint, as well as, the fact that it comes across as overzealous on the religious narrative. I do not entirely agree with the logotherapy but I can see its use case, and I can see how it might benefit a lot of people, including me.