Customer Reviews

Viktor E Frankl Life with Meaning

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William Blair Gould's (Univ. of Dubuque) book, in spite of its title, doesn't fall in the widespread trap of evaluating Viktor Frankl only as a "hero" of psychotherapy, in the name of his well-known journey to the undergrounds of world misery during World War II. His book is an animated picture of Frankl's influences, references and contacts with the world of Philosophy, trying to show how it affected his view of Science and Culture. A picture well put into paper, pleasurable to read and - what is a must to most readers - short, very (sometimes too) concise. In eight short chapters, Mr. Gould analyzes the connexions and influences between Frankl and other thinkers, such as: Freud (ch. I-II), Kant (III), James (IV), existentialism (V-VI), humanist psychology (VII). The book ends with a beautiful chapter, almost a "manifesto" (VIII), where Gould joins Frankl's voice for a renewed kind of psichology that bears attention to human beings, converting itself to a kind of supporting tool of human freedom. In short: well written book, good introductory reading about the thought of a very influential, insightful and constructive thinker of this century. Rated only tree stars, because it sometimes depends all too havily on second-hand sources, and because it's more suggestive than deep. But if you want to start thinking about "...Frankl's role as a philosopher and ... how his philosophy affects his theories and practice of meaning analysis" (page vii), go ahead. Absolutely.

This book compares Frankl's teachings to many different psychologists and philosophers from Plato and Aristotle to BF Skinner, Carl Rogers, Freud, and many others who you may recognize. Each chapter compares and contrasts Frankl to different people.

'A good reminder of roots of Psychology in general, although I prefer, in studying Frankl, to read his own words more directly.

This is more of a textbook on psychology and a good review of philosophy and psychology from early times.

Not a quick and easy read unless you are already well versed in these areas.