Book Review: Man’s Search for Meaning 

What’s the Story? 

Man’s Search for Meaning is the true story of Viktor Frankl’s imprisonment in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychologist, neurologist, philosopher, and above all else, survivor. Viktor was the head of the neurology department at a hospital in Vienna before he was sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1942. During the Nazi’s reign, Viktor Frankl lost everything: his parents were murdered at Auschwitz in gas chambers, and his wife died of typhus in a different concentration camp. Man’s Search for Meaning is about how Viktor Frankl survived imprisonment at Auschwitz despite living in an environment filled with disease, filth, and death. At the core of his story is the tale of a man who never relinquished the desire to live, even in the darkest of times. 

The Choice to Persevere 

Frankl writes, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” In this life, we have choices—sometimes, we have more choices than in others. In Frankl’s case, he had no choice but to follow the Nazi soldiers’ orders and go to Auschwitz where he was exposed to some of the most barbaric, cruel, and inhumane treatment imaginable. Frankl discovered that there were a lot of things he didn’t have a choice in—but he did have a choice in his outlook and attitude. Frankl describes the currency of cigarettes in the concentration camps. Prisoners traded them amongst each other for rations, blankets, supplies, etc. Frankl recalls that the people who were going to die soon were always the ones smoking the cigarettes—they had given up the will to live and were trying to make their last moments as pleasant as possible. No matter what we’re going through—and whatever it is, it’s very unlikely to be as horrific as imprisonment in a concentration camp—we have a choice to have the will to persevere. Or we can choose to simply give up. But no matter what life throws at us, we always have a choice. 

What Are You Living For? 

One of the most potent quotes in the book reads as follows: “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.” Frankl believed that the key to getting through hardship was to have a meaningful purpose. Some people wanted to see their families again, some people longed to go back to their hobbies. For Frankl, his passion for research spurred him on in the darkest hours where he was the most tempted to give up. Frankl believed that those who have a reason for living are the ones who ended up surviving. When you have a reason to live, it powers your will to fight for survival. However, if you’ve lost everything you’ve been living for, it’s much more difficult to persevere—and giving up becomes a much more alluring option. This is why it’s so important to discover your passion and let it guide you through life’s most difficult moments. 

When There’s Suffering 

“In some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.” People who have never had children might be puzzled at the prospect of willingly dying for another person without a moment of hesitation. People with children, on the other hand, don’t even think twice—why is that? When there’s suffering in life—and there will be suffering—having a greater purpose may give you the courage to face the suffering head on. Maybe you’re afraid of going under anesthesia, but your spouse needs a kidney transplant. Suddenly, the fear melts away, or at the very least becomes less terrifying.  Frankl’s theory is that meaning makes suffering less, and in some cases, it can even make suffering worth it. 

Worth a Read? 

Yes, 110%. This book is amazing. It offers a great perspective on life, suffering, and finding meaning even when it seems as though all hope is lost. In our current day, we’re flooded with misinformation, politically charged content, heavily edited photos, and all sorts of unrealistic expectations. Not only does this distract us from our purpose in life, but it also makes us deeply unhappy. Man’s Search for Meaning will bring you back to reality.