Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Man's struggle and God's providence
Viktor Emil Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning is one of the preeminent non-fiction books of our time. It inspired generations of ordinary people, politicians, professionals, writers, preachers, and many others. It was written to demonstrate the author’s experiences during the Auschwitz extermination camp (a place known for gas chambers, crematoriums, and massacres) where he experienced first-hand the ability of a human being to commit horrendous crimes toward another. The story tells us both his struggle for existence and the seemingly divine intervention that repeatedly spared his life from death.
The book's first part tells me how man’s struggle and God’s providence determined the author’s fate. I said this because though many gave up and commit suicide (running through the wire), Viktor Frankl and a few others struggle to survive but circumstances outside their control (such as the selection process) put others’ efforts to an end. Aside from that, those circumstances and the decisions he made also seem to strangely spare him from death. Frankl himself admitted that his survival is either a miracle or luck. That being said, I would hypothetically say that God, for some reason, rewards Frankl for his unrelenting desire to live.
The second part of his book talks about his logotherapy theory. Viktor Frankl was already a practicing psychiatrist before his admission to Auschwitz. He was also at that time writing this scientific manuscript but was unable to finish it after getting confiscated by the guard. A blessing in disguise, his experiences in the camp enrich more his theory. Logotherapy is psychotherapy that helps people find meaning in their life. According to him, man is capable of surviving the worst condition there may be as long as he has the knowledge of meaning in his life.
Man’s Search for Meaning is one of the most remarkably helpful books I’ve read especially because I read it through my dark moments (that’s precisely the reason I bought this book because I’m going through something). How a man maintains his optimism despite the seeming hell on earth is inconceivable. The book is easy to read and comprehend. That being said, you can read this book and keep on track despite of your tight schedule. Plus, it is non-fiction; meaning, much more relatable.