The book is a powerful and harrowing account of a Holocaust survivor's experiences, offering profound insights into finding meaning in suffering. It's a compelling read that will leave you with much to ponder.
This book is a deeply moving and thought-provoking account of Viktor E Frankl's experiences as a Holocaust survivor. Frankl, a psychiatrist, developed logotherapy, which posits that human beings have a 'will to meaning' that enables them to survive even the most brutal conditions. The book is divided into two parts, with the first part detailing Frankl's daily experiences in the concentration camp. The descriptions of the horrific conditions and the dehumanizing treatment of prisoners are both shocking and compelling. Frankl's observations about the importance of 'spiritual freedom' and the ability to choose one's attitude in the face of absolute degradation are particularly insightful. The second part of the book, revised and updated in 1962, explores how Frankl's theories can be applied to everyday life. He discusses the 'existential vacuum', a state of depression that can occur when people lose the meaning in their lives. This is a very powerful book that offers wisdom relevant to us all, even in the 21st century. It's a must-read that will give you much food for thought.
Quick quotes
No man should judge unless he asks himself in absolute honesty whether in a similar situation he might not have done the same.
It often occurs to me that it was a particular torture to keep those rounded up into the camps alive when the ultimate goal was extermination.
According to logotherapy we can find meaning in three different ways: by creating a work or doing a deed; by experiencing something or someone; and by the attitude we take to unavoidable suffering.