Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

16 reviews

noodlesny's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Genocide, Hate crime, Murder, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, War, and Xenophobia

cryptidskunk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

I expected the entire book to be more like the second half (focused on logotherapy with personal stories from Auschwitz). However the first half is about the psychology of what an Auschwitz prisoner goes through and is focused on his personal experiences. Incredibly important content, but just a warning if you were expecting more focus on logotherapy as a discipline throughout. 

Overall an incredibly impactful read that serves as both a reminder of how humans are capable of dehumanizing others and how to view the unexpected hardships of life to still find meaning

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Blood, Genocide, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicide attempt, Cannibalism, and Suicide

emerentina's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Torture, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Antisemitism, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Confinement

Moderate: War, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Medical content, Drug abuse, Child death, Suicide, Drug use, Alcoholism, Violence, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, and Slavery

picturetalk321's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Violence, Mental illness, Antisemitism, Cannibalism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Excrement, Bullying, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Torture

madshald's review against another edition

dark informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Trafficking, Homophobia, Gore, Antisemitism, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Hate crime, War, Confinement, Self harm, Death of parent, Deportation, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death, Genocide, Slavery, Medical content, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Violence

coneyislandslap13's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

This book definitely seems less pedantic and condescending than many which try to tackle the issues of depression and hopelessness in people with logic and grace. Through detailing memorable instances of events throughout his trials in the concentration camps of the Third Reich, he gives reasoning behind people’s need for purpose and motivation, and does so in a way that can relate to victims of such horrific atrocities just as easily as to young children suffering some of the first minor complications they’ve ever had. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Gore, Medical content, Antisemitism, Confinement, Death, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Deportation, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Murder, Racial slurs, Slavery, Physical abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, and War

pandaorb's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad slow-paced

2.0

I did not enjoy this in the slightest, but it was a book club selection so I powered through. To start with, I have an incredibly difficult time digesting Holocaust literature. I have been exposed to the horrors that humanity is capable of and dwelling on it any longer does me no good, thus Part 1 of this book was an extremely painful read.
Part 2 was written so differently (and in fact was not added until long after the initial publication) that it may as well have been a different book. The switch in tone and topic was jarring, and from my reading could essentially be summed up as "find religion or at least something to do". The postscript ended up being the most palatable section for me.
Frankl wrote the first draft for Part 1 in 9 days. I wish he had taken more time and integrated the information from Part 2 into Part 1 in order to illustrate any cases of logotherapy at work in concentration camps. 
I don't begrudge the man for sharing his story, and I'm grateful that he found peace before passing, but this particular work did not do for me what it seems to have done for so many others. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Genocide

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide

Minor: Cannibalism

tctimlin's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

3.0

Part One, where Frankl describes his concentration camp experiences is moving and devastating.  Part Two, where he describes his therapeutic philosophy, is dry and frustrating (I am not at all convinced that just flipping the script for a depressed or ill person is going to magically solve their issues).  He ignores biology in favor of just mentally changing one’s attitude.  The Afterword actually does a better job of explaining his philosophy and showing the optimism behind Frankl’s approach.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Suicide, Grief, Antisemitism, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Torture, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and War

mdwsn27's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Genocide, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, War, Violence, Death, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Torture

dogmomsitcom's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Torture, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, and War