Reviews

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

jenmangler's review against another edition

4.0

I really needed to read this right now. Such a powerful read. I can't get it out of my head.

b_tea's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.25

fwrench's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

kamundson's review against another edition

4.0

This had lot of good messages, but I honestly don’t remember much from the book. I have a lot of respect for the author, and this book illustrates how much perspective changes people’s lives. 

superdario's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

kazzmed's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Extremely well written! 

bulsy's review against another edition

inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.0

I'm torn on this book; the first, autobiographical part was good; I do not deny that Frankl's outlook is inspiring, and the way he faced his situation moving.
The second half was much muddier for me, for three main reasons:

1. Throughout my journey with therapy, what most helped me was another methodology, ACT, of which I was made aware through Oliver Burkeman's "The Antidote". The therapist I currently work with utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and the work I've done during the past year in learning to exist in the present and find happiness not as an unattainable goal, but as something that can be found anywhere, was what most helped me. I realize that Frankl slightly leans towards this also, especially with his most often quoted segment about how Man can always choose the way he faces life, he then leans back into life's meaning to explain how to attain happiness.
2. Frankl asserts that Sunday Depression comes about due to people's sudden awareness, when not busy during the week, with the void [of meaning] in their lives. I do not think this is exactly applicable anymore. Rather, I think Sunday Depression comes about due to most people living for the weekends, or some other, never-ending goal that keeps its goalposts moving, and already having things they'd rather be doing, which make them happy, other than working for 40 hours, commuting for 10, doing chores for another 10, and resetting just to handle another day. What I found is most effective for me, is not in withstanding those 60+ hours weekly where I do not control my time through finding a deeper meaning, but in existing in those 60+ hours through trying to accept and find enjoyment in smaller things.
3. Paradoxical intention has never worked for me. No matter how many people preach about "telling your brain its only 5 minutes of work/chores," I, and by extension my brain, know the truth, know the trick, which makes the practice meaningless. Once again, the trick I have found is that you must accept that your discontentment, or uncomfortableness, derives from whatever story or opinion your brain tells you, which should not be taken at face value as fact, since you are a distinct entity from your thoughts.

Thus, my life philosophy aligns with Frankl's in some ways, namely the way he recommends people choose how they face their every living moment, and in the distinction he makes about life being about what life itself asks of each of us, and our response constituting life itself. However, I ended up disappointed due to (1) the book not working for me, and not aligning with what has been working for me, (2) my disagreement with Frankl's deeper philosophies, and (3) other works having already helped me in a deeper, more meaningful way achieving what Frankl tries to do here.

Nevertheless, the fact that a <200 page book managed to get me to write this much probably speaks volumes; not all books elicit strong opinions, and the fact that Victor Frankl's work has managed to get me thinking about what I value the most in my life, how I face it everyday, and what works for me, is already tremendous value for such a short read.
So, although I have almost only criticized it so far, at the end of writing this review I cannot, in good conscience, not recommend something you can read in an afternoon and which can get you thinking about how to find more value out of your life, be it through meaning or whatever else.

nickysmalls's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.75

mohginreads's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

doctorlauren12's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad tense fast-paced

5.0