There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
VINE VOICEon August 4, 2011
I was reading a counseling book on the "Search for Meaning" and in the introduction Dr. Gary Collins stated, 'For a number of years Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning was required reading for all incoming freshmen at a Christian Liberal Arts college where I taught.' The statistics showed that students who read this book upon entering college did better in their academic life because it helped prepare them to understand what their true desire in life was.
So, before I finished that book I purchased this book and read it. I was amazed at all of the lessons that are taught, all of the theories that made sense and the purpose that it gives towards the work of a counselor that was so practical.
The first half of the book talks about Fankl's time spent in a Nazi prison camp. He talked about how there was only a 1 in 28 chance that the prisoner would survive the camp. Most either died from disease or malnutrition or they were sent to the ovens where they died. Many more died by their own hand. Their lack of hope for a future drove them to suicide.
Frankl took his observations of human nature and the experience in the war camps to think through the best way to provide counseling for people who are stressed, anxious, depressed, etc. The counseling he came up with is called 'Logotherapy.' He states that "Logo" is a Greek word which denotes, "meaning," and therapy is the method used to help people learn to deal with their neuroses.
So, 'Logotherapy' focuses on the future, that is to say, on the meanings to be fulfilled by the patient in his future. In other words, what is the meaning of life for the individual that is being counseled. As a counselor you must remember that the meaning of life for each of your patients will differ. There is not one easy answer that works for everyone. Each person is different. One of Frankl's favorite quotes is from Nietzche and it is, "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." The point of that statement is that people can endure any suffering, any disease, any hard life lesson if they know that they have a reason to live for.
This is why a patient with cancer may beat all the odds, in other words, he is told he has only two months to live, but because he desires to see his child graduate from college he might actually live for 9 more months until that accomplishment is fulfilled and then the person takes a turn for the worse and dies. There was meaning for life, so life was lived.
The second half of Fankl's book expresses his thoughts on why Man's Search For Meaning is so powerful and so necessary for each person. The subject is not fully discussed, this is a summary of his overall therapy method and learning. But it gives you a great introduction to what he believes is a good therapy format.
After reading through this short book I can see why Dr. Collins and others felt that this was a good book for college freshman to read. The statistics gathered by George Barna were that upon entering college when asked what they hoped to accomplish, students answered 84% of the time that they wanted to find the meaning for their lives. The other 16% stated they wanted to gain a degree to earn more money and satisfy their desires.
So, let's help our students and others learn more about the meaning for their lives. From a Pastor's point of view I was amazed at how well Viktor Frankl's thoughts weave right into Holy Scripture and are so pertinent.
I think all serious students will gain much insight from this short work.
Enjoy!
So, before I finished that book I purchased this book and read it. I was amazed at all of the lessons that are taught, all of the theories that made sense and the purpose that it gives towards the work of a counselor that was so practical.
The first half of the book talks about Fankl's time spent in a Nazi prison camp. He talked about how there was only a 1 in 28 chance that the prisoner would survive the camp. Most either died from disease or malnutrition or they were sent to the ovens where they died. Many more died by their own hand. Their lack of hope for a future drove them to suicide.
Frankl took his observations of human nature and the experience in the war camps to think through the best way to provide counseling for people who are stressed, anxious, depressed, etc. The counseling he came up with is called 'Logotherapy.' He states that "Logo" is a Greek word which denotes, "meaning," and therapy is the method used to help people learn to deal with their neuroses.
So, 'Logotherapy' focuses on the future, that is to say, on the meanings to be fulfilled by the patient in his future. In other words, what is the meaning of life for the individual that is being counseled. As a counselor you must remember that the meaning of life for each of your patients will differ. There is not one easy answer that works for everyone. Each person is different. One of Frankl's favorite quotes is from Nietzche and it is, "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." The point of that statement is that people can endure any suffering, any disease, any hard life lesson if they know that they have a reason to live for.
This is why a patient with cancer may beat all the odds, in other words, he is told he has only two months to live, but because he desires to see his child graduate from college he might actually live for 9 more months until that accomplishment is fulfilled and then the person takes a turn for the worse and dies. There was meaning for life, so life was lived.
The second half of Fankl's book expresses his thoughts on why Man's Search For Meaning is so powerful and so necessary for each person. The subject is not fully discussed, this is a summary of his overall therapy method and learning. But it gives you a great introduction to what he believes is a good therapy format.
After reading through this short book I can see why Dr. Collins and others felt that this was a good book for college freshman to read. The statistics gathered by George Barna were that upon entering college when asked what they hoped to accomplish, students answered 84% of the time that they wanted to find the meaning for their lives. The other 16% stated they wanted to gain a degree to earn more money and satisfy their desires.
So, let's help our students and others learn more about the meaning for their lives. From a Pastor's point of view I was amazed at how well Viktor Frankl's thoughts weave right into Holy Scripture and are so pertinent.
I think all serious students will gain much insight from this short work.
Enjoy!
TOP 1000 REVIEWERon September 19, 2016
I actually purchased this for my husband and he said he really enjoyed it. Once he picked it up he couldn’t seem to put it down! A prominent psychiatrist in pre-World War II Vienna, Doctor Frankl found himself suddenly stripped of all money, possessions, position, respect, and ultimately, his family--including his pregnant and beloved wife. His situation was very similar to ours to an extent. This is an amazing read.
on March 24, 2016
In this powerful memoir, Viktor Frankl recalls the years he spent in a Nazi concentration camp during World War 2, providing readers with a deeply intellectual and analytical account of the suffering he and millions of others endured. His time at Auschwitz inspired him to create a school of psychotherapy called logotherapy, which he explains in the second part of the book.
Much of logotherapy is based on Nietzsche’s quote, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” Frankl goes on to suggest that man’s search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life - and that man can find meaning in unavoidable suffering, specifically in the attitude he takes toward it.
Much of logotherapy is based on Nietzsche’s quote, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” Frankl goes on to suggest that man’s search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life - and that man can find meaning in unavoidable suffering, specifically in the attitude he takes toward it.
on March 6, 2017
Tough read, the first part, about the experiences in a concentration camp. Last half of the book is more psychiatrically-oriented, and I liked that as well. I have a deep interest in the holocaust. Dr. Frankl is amazing, how he survived, and what he went on to teach as logotherapy based on his observations as a doctor in the camps. This is not a light read, yet if you have an interest in the human soul, strength, psychological resources, this book will please you
on May 2, 2017
This is a "deep" book. Frankl was a WW II Jew in a Nazi concentration camp. He survived. The book does not dwell on the horrors of the camp so much as it outlines Frankl's inner self discovery of how he could survive while others died quickly. His search for meaning basically states that no matter what our external forces , no matter what others may be perpetrating on us- we still have total freedom to think as we choose. Powerful book. Highly recommend.
TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE VOICEon July 30, 2011
This book has information I hadn't seen anywhere else and the author interpreted his experience well. Frankl was sincere in his account and lucid explanation of the search for meaning. I intend to listen to this book (I got the CD format) many more times.
Because there was so much information that was new to me, I really have to listen again. For example, Frankl said sensitive individuals tended to last longer in the concentration camp that less sensitive inmates. This is exactly the opposite of what I expected. The reason given is that sensitivity helped people to retreat to an inner spiritual life and thereby provided strength.
Frankl's views on the importance of love stands out. He felt that it was the strongest force in our world and through it we would in a sense never really die. He discovered this in a time when he would talk to his wife while suffering in the camp. He had no way of knowing his wife had been killed already, and he felt her presence as if she were alive. To do this point justice, I'd have to quote Frankl verbatim and at length.
One of the lasting impressions of the story and the interpretation has to do with the futility of trying to control one's fate as opposed to being true to one's innermost feelings. At several turns, Frankl would have perished if he had taken choices that seemed correct for purposes of survival and yet didn't feel right to him.
I recommend this book to every one, because we all suffer since there is no escape from suffering.
Because there was so much information that was new to me, I really have to listen again. For example, Frankl said sensitive individuals tended to last longer in the concentration camp that less sensitive inmates. This is exactly the opposite of what I expected. The reason given is that sensitivity helped people to retreat to an inner spiritual life and thereby provided strength.
Frankl's views on the importance of love stands out. He felt that it was the strongest force in our world and through it we would in a sense never really die. He discovered this in a time when he would talk to his wife while suffering in the camp. He had no way of knowing his wife had been killed already, and he felt her presence as if she were alive. To do this point justice, I'd have to quote Frankl verbatim and at length.
One of the lasting impressions of the story and the interpretation has to do with the futility of trying to control one's fate as opposed to being true to one's innermost feelings. At several turns, Frankl would have perished if he had taken choices that seemed correct for purposes of survival and yet didn't feel right to him.
I recommend this book to every one, because we all suffer since there is no escape from suffering.
on April 15, 2017
Dr. Frankl discusses his time spent in various concentration camps during World War 2. The information he gleaned from his own experiences and his observation of others while incarcerated is very interesting. His thoughts on how a human being may find meaning in life are equally as interesting. This book is very profound and should be read several times to fully absorb its content and deeper meaning. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Outstanding!
on March 17, 2017
I'd read this decades ago while attending a college where Frankl was on the faculty. I'd meant to buy a copy for a long time. I'm so glad I did. His accounts of his time in concentration camps are moving, important, and unforgettable. Yet the second section of the book on logotherapy is perhaps the most important part of the book. This is one of those books that every person should read for years and years to come.
on May 10, 2017
I've told everyone I know about this book. The story in the first half is amazing, and the theory in the second half is definitely worth the read. Finding meaning in your situation in life seems like a simple concept, but it's incredibly difficult. This is not a "self-help book, but it has helped me in so many ways. I absolutely loved it.
