While this book is full of bleak stories like the above, I find Frankl's words to be not only realistic and logical, but also optimistic. His chosen lane of "logotherapy" is a hopeful one, despite his deeply traumatic experiences. The fact that I can apply my own struggles to his life's work affirms my own search for purpose.

Man's Search for Meaning is, above all else, a philosophical treatise. Frankl's musings on the meaning of life are made even more powerful given the context in which he developed these feelings. Despite those brutal conditions, Frankl delivers a philosophical thesis that anyone can relate to. With this in mind, this title is best for people who might be asking themselves some of life's biggest questions. Themes like finding what Frankl calls the "will to meaning," or understanding what motivates an individual to press forward, are front and center throughout. Do not expect to listen to this book without experiencing some degree of internal reflection.

Did you know?

• The original German title for Man's Search for Meaning is "A Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp."

• Frankl dictated all of his thoughts that ended up in this work to a group of his assistants over nine days.

• Frankl is widely credited with spearheading the "third school" of Viennese psychotherapy, building on the research of Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler.

What listeners said

• "My mentor (a man from the Baby Boomer generation) recommended this book to me by saying, 'it was the single most influential book I ever read.' With a endorsement like that, I had no choice but to read it. I am happy to say, he did not oversell this book." -Will, Audible listener

• "There are a handful of books that should truly be required and desired reading for everyone across the world. This is one of them. It is simultaneously repulsive and compelling, disheartening and hopeful." -Troy, Audible listener

• "It's difficult to describe the darkest moments of your life. It's even harder to find meaning in them. Frankl shows courage and great resilience by having created this work of art, which will help others find purpose in their struggles as well." -Samantha, Audible listener

• "Viktor Frankl's book has two main parts: a) very moving description of his experiences in different concentration camps and how he dealt with suffering and pain; b) an introduction of his school of psychotherapy ("logotherapy") partly derived from these experiences. Really inspiring, even if today you are not suffering. Great help to remember in difficult times." -Ulrich, Audible listener

Listen if you loved

Quotes from Man's Search for Meaning

• "The truth—that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire …The salvation of man is through love and in love."

• "Don’t aim at success—the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it."

• "The meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment."

• "Man’s search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life and not a ‘secondary rationalization’ of instinctual drives. This meaning is unique and specific in that it must and can be fulfilled by him alone; only then does it achieve a significance which will satisfy his own will to meaning."

• "In some way, suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice."

About the author

Viktor E. Frankl was professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of Vienna Medical School until his death in 1997. He was the founder of what has come to be called the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy (after Freud's psychoanalysis and Adler's individual psychology)—the school of logotherapy. Born in 1905, Dr. Frankl received the degrees of Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Vienna. During World War II, he spent three years at Auschwitz, Dachau and other concentration camps. Dr. Frankl first published in 1924 in the International Journal of Psychoanalysis and has since published 26 books, which have been translated into 19 languages, including Japanese and Chinese. He was a visiting professor at Harvard, Duquesne, and Southern Methodist Universities. Honorary Degrees have been conferred upon him by Loyola University in Chicago, Edgecliff College, Rockford College, and Mount Mary College, as well as by universities in Brazil and Venezuela. He was a guest lecturer at universities throughout the world and made 51 lecture tours throughout the United States alone. He was president of the Austrian Medical Society of Psychotherapy.

About the performer

Simon Vance is an audiobook narrator and actor who performs contemporary literary works as well as classics, children's books, and nonfiction. He has won 16 Audie Awards since 2002. Specializing in single-voice narration, he has earned AudioFile magazine's Earphones Award for more than 60 performances since 1998 and was named the American Library Association's Booklist Magazine Voice of Choice in 2008. He has also narrated audiobooks under the names of Richard Matthews and Robert Whitfield.