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Man's Search for Meaning (OLD EDITION/OUT OF PRINT) Paperback – June 1, 2006
This edition is no longer in print. Please check ISBN: 9780807014271 for the most recent edition. Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Between 1942 and 1945 Frankl labored in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience and the experiences of others he treated later in his practice, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. Frankl's theory-known as logotherapy, from the Greek word logos ("meaning")-holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful.
At the time of Frankl's death in 1997, Man's Search for Meaning had sold more than 10 million copies in twenty-four languages. A 1991 reader survey for the Library of Congress that asked readers to name a "book that made a difference in your life" found Man's Search for Meaning among the ten most influential books in America.
- Print length184 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBeacon Press
- Publication dateJune 1, 2006
- Dimensions4.15 x 0.49 x 6.72 inches
- ISBN-109780807014295
- ISBN-13978-0807014295
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"One of the outstanding contributions to psychological thought in the last fifty years."—Carl R. Rogers (1959)
"An enduring work of survival literature." —New York Times
"An accessible edition of the enduring classic. The spiritual account of the Holocaust and the description of logotherapy meets generations' need for hope."—Donna O. Dziedzic (PLA) AAUP Best of the Best Program
About the Author
Harold S. Kushner is rabbi emeritus at Temple Israel in Natick, Massachusetts, and the author of bestselling books including When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Living a Life That Matters, and When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough.
William J. Winslade is a philosopher, lawyer, and psychoanalyst who teaches psychiatry, medical ethics, and medical jurisprudence at the University of Texas Medical School in Galveston.
Product details
- ASIN : 080701429X
- Publisher : Beacon Press
- Publication date : June 1, 2006
- Edition : 1st
- Language : English
- Print length : 184 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780807014295
- ISBN-13 : 978-0807014295
- Item Weight : 3.21 ounces
- Dimensions : 4.15 x 0.49 x 6.72 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #55,607 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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 twenty-six books, which have been translated into nineteen 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 fifty-one lecture tours throughout the United States alone. He was President of the Austrian Medical Society of Psychotherapy.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book thought-provoking, with one noting how its insights come from the author's personal experiences. Moreover, the book is well-written and easy to comprehend, with a gripping storyline in Part I that provides insight into tragic events. Additionally, they appreciate its emotional content, particularly how it deals with working through grief, and its fast-paced narrative. The book stands the test of time and is considered a timeless masterpiece. However, the print size receives mixed feedback, with several customers noting that the text is small.
AI Generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book thought-provoking, describing it as brilliant and insightful, bringing meaning to life and serving as important therapy. One customer notes that it towers over all self-help philosophy books.
"...I certainly enjoy Jungian psychology and believe that Jung's work will become more and more important and critical to our understanding as we move..." Read more
"...For the rest, Frank's take on life is admirable and full of wisdom, whether you are into Logotherapy or not...." Read more
"...In a brilliant and insightful way, Victor Frankl has ultimately handed his readers the key to success and happiness, and the answer to many questions..." Read more
"...What I learned is helpful for both myself and others...." Read more
Customers find the book well written and easy to comprehend.
"...Harold Kushner's preface to this 2008 edition is a good summary of the book main points, while Frankl's preface to the 1992 edition summarizes well..." Read more
"...to his use of a unique theory called Logotheropy, This is a process of self analysis which he developed years before the advent of the Holocaust...." Read more
"...that finding purpose in life is essential to enduring suffering—resonates profoundly. I bought three copies to give as gifts. It’s that powerful...." Read more
"...recommend "The Essential Jung" by Anthony Storr, but this is not light reading as is composed of excerpts from Jung's collected works. *..." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's emotional content, describing it as emotionally descriptive and heartbreaking, particularly in its portrayal of working through grief.
"...This is for me a very interesting disorder, I think this is one disorder where the connection between our ego consciousness and perhaps what we are..." Read more
"...Rather in an almost clinical and emotionally detached manner he tells the reader that he was able to survive incarceration because of his belief in..." Read more
"...are asked to invade and to do cruel things Putin asked them to do: murdering, vandalizing, setting things on fire and destructing instructures that..." Read more
"...Overall, it is emotionally and morally richening, but spiritually incomplete. It may inspire, but it cannot save...." Read more
Customers find the book to be worth every minute and appreciate that it is to the point, with one customer noting it has sold millions of copies.
"...Along the way there are some great quotes that alone are worth the price of the book: &#..." Read more
"...For those who are brave enough to read this book, it's well worth it." Read more
"...of course we have known about them for 70 years now, it is horrible to read about them...." Read more
"...The 9 dollars I spent was well worth it, even on a college budget where money is tight...." Read more
Customers praise the gripping and poignant storyline in Part I of the book, describing it as a fascinating account of life.
"...Great book that has stood the hands of time." Read more
"timeless classic" Read more
"...It is fascinating account and it builds nicely into Frankl's psychological theory of Logotherapy...." Read more
"...He left an extraordinary legacy that tries to convince us that living is worth living, as long as we have a meaning in life." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's pacing, describing it as a moving and fast-paced read.
"...’s Man’s Search for Meaning is one of the most powerful and moving books ever written...." Read more
""Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl is a powerful and moving book that explores how we can find purpose even in the darkest times...." Read more
"...His account is incredibly moving and raw, but it is not flowery and it is not designed to make you feel bad...." Read more
"...The war in Ukraine is ruthless and absurd. It destroyed a country where hardworking people falsely thought they could live in peace and prosperity...." Read more
Customers praise the book's strength, noting its courage and toughness, and how it has stood the test of time, with one customer highlighting the importance of mental fortitude.
"...It’s that powerful. A must-read for anyone seeking clarity, resilience, or hope." Read more
"...ways, rhymes with biblical principles of endurance, purpose, and inner strength. But spiritually speaking, the book falls short of the truth...." Read more
"I found the material so compelling that I listened on audio, then bought the paperback and transcribed all my notes into that...." Read more
"...The section on his experience in the camps is riveting and suitably frightening without being horrific and unreadable...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the print size of the book, with several noting that the font is too small to read comfortably.
"...and the Postscript (The case for a Tragic Optimism) fit beautifully together, and are the basis of Frankl's philosophy and psychotherapy..." Read more
"...This section was way too short!..." Read more
"...It's a short and pretty simply written book that tackles the most complex and powerful question we ever ask ourselves and I wholeheartedly agree..." Read more
"First part is so easy and fascinating to read, but it is too short compared to the length of the book...." Read more
Reviews with images

He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2022Format: KindleVerified PurchaseIt's not exactly a review but some thoughts after reading this book and observing current events.
Can you imagine life being upended in a matter of weeks? You were forced to board a train to Auschwitz for a new life of unknowns. When you arrived, you were either directed to the left or to the right. You and your family were separated. You were instructed to go right while the rest of your family were instructed to go left. The life for the right group turned out to be half a decade of dehumanizing tortures. As for the left group, they were murdered within 24 hours of arrival to Auschwitz. You learned about the fate of the left group by realizing what all the smokes were rising above the structure your family went into. I was in shock and disbelief when I read about this in Man’s Search for Meaning but this crazy thing DID happen 80 years ago, just a few years before my parents were born. How could this world be so barbaric?
Before Auschwitz, most people were living a fairly normal life worrying about paying their bills, raising their family, advancing their careers, etc just like us ordinary beings today. People know there’s war but I doubt people thought about how they could be swallowed by the wars in a matter of weeks started by sinister people who only care about their own power. The whole thing is just insane and ridiculous and you would hope humanity learned its lessons. Nonetheless, 80 years later, we are back to square one. The war in Ukraine is ruthless and absurd. It destroyed a country where hardworking people falsely thought they could live in peace and prosperity. The Russian soldiers are asked to invade and to do cruel things Putin asked them to do: murdering, vandalizing, setting things on fire and destructing instructures that took years to build. I don’t think these Russian soldiers out of their own will would want to do this. What exactly is this evil power force making people do crazy and destructive things? Is it really just Putin? Or somehow our world allows this to happen.
This reminds me of the story Haruki Murakami wrote about his father. His father was forced to go to China to fight the war for Japan during WWII. He was a 19 year-old, having grown up in a Buddha temple in Kyoto. Despite the Buddhist teachings, he was forced to go to war by the government. His father witnessed the killing of Chinese prisoners of war and might even be forced to do the executions. Part of the military training at the time was for new soldiers to practice killing POW to get them into “the zone”, to become a competent fighter. His father told Murakami about this and this made a huge impression on him. He could sense his father was deeply affected by this experience for the rest of his life, with grief and guilt. After all, he was complicit. But he as an individual had no choice. If the government forced him to choose war, he could not choose peace instead. If the government goes completely insane, we as citizens have no recourse.
As I am typing this up, I am wondering how long the peaceful life we have in America would last. Three months ago most Ukrainian people probably couldn’t imagine what lay ahead. Should I worry about my family in Taiwan? Things can change drastically in a very short period of time. My husband and his family left Vietnam in 1982 to escape communism. They endured several years of communism rule and my father in law was jailed for a couple of years for “helping Americans”. Prior to the communist takeover, the family ran a large rice mill and owned a substantial amount of prime real estate in Saigon. Then Americans left. Overnight they lost all their assets to the communist regime. They went from a materially rich life to a life of hunger and partial homelessness. Young women had to hide to avoid being raped. My mother in law sold her gold jewelry in the black market to get her husband out of jail and the family escaped to America penniless. Who is responsible for all the sufferings? They did nothing wrong. They were hardworking people running an honest business. Perhaps they didn’t pay enough attention to international politics. But the price they had to pay was absurdly high.
We individuals are so small and powerless we don’t know what current of our crazy time can swallow us despite our innocence and futile efforts. The thought that we are in control is an illusion. When I think about the great suffering in Auschwitz, China, Vietnam and endless other man-made tragedies, I am so grateful for the peaceful time I still live in and whatever worries I have seem so trivial. If we strive for anything for the world, we should strive for peace.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2025A classic that never disappoints. Ordered new copy for my collection. Can't ho wrong if a gift os needed too.
Great book that has stood the hands of time.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2012I recently completed a master's in counseling and guidance and have been reading to find a set of books that will best address some of the disorders in the DSM-IV. Following is a list I have put together from my reading so far, and these are books that I would HIGHLY recommend. I would like to say up front that the DSM-IV is full of very normal behaviors that for some reason have become magnified or exaggerated in an individual to the point of causing a negative impact in their daily lives. Take OCD for example, it is quite normal and even preferable (from a safety perspective) to check and be sure that one has turned off all the burners on the stove after cooking, or to be sure the back door is locked before going to bed. But to continue checking time and again would be problematic and can lead to problems in an individual's life. Something is diagnosed as a disorder when it moves from being a "normal" activity to being something that causes dysfunction in daily living. So, one may read the DSM-IV and see themselves reflected in many of the disorders. The question is always: is this behavior negatively impacting my life? If so then that is when it crosses the line of normal and needs to be treated.
Depression; I believe there are two sources for depression: one source is our own minds, we think ourselves into the depression - at least in this case we know where it is coming from and we should be able to step behind our thoughts and help ourselves move in a better direction. The other source seemingly comes from nowhere; one minute we are okay and the next we are thrown into the depths
* Book = "Transforming Depression: Healing the Soul Through Creativity"- David H. Rosen"
o I would recommend reading this at least through chapter 4, going further than that delves into some deep Jungian psychology which will not likely appeal to everyone. I certainly enjoy Jungian psychology and believe that Jung's work will become more and more important and critical to our understanding as we move forward in this field of psychology. Jung's psychology is really on the borderland between spirit/soul and the science of psychology and it is Jung's work that brought me into this field. However it is quite complex/deep/different and may lose some readers. For a very good intro to Jung's work, I would recommend "The Essential Jung" by Anthony Storr, but this is not light reading as is composed of excerpts from Jung's collected works.
* Book = "Man's Search for Meaning" - Viktor Frankl
o I would recommend this book for two primary reasons: one is it pushes very strongly the message that meaning is essential in our lives - as shown through Victor Frankl's imprisonment in Nazi concentration camps. Frankl comments on how he observed the individuals who gave up the fight and died, and the individuals who persevered - and most importantly what it was that he believes made the difference. The other reason I recommend this book is that it helps the individuals whose thoughts may have led them to depression to realize that things could be worse. Of course there are devastations we may face that can truly be to us, just as bad as a Nazi concentration camps, but for the most part, we often push ourselves into depression for reasons that are somewhat superficial compared to other realities.
Depersonalization Disorder - essentially feeling like you are not really there
* Book = "Feeling Unreal: Depersonalization Disorder and the Loss of the Self" - Daphne Simeon and Jeffrey Abugel
o Excellent book which will help folks understand this disorder. This is for me a very interesting disorder, I think this is one disorder where the connection between our ego consciousness and perhaps what we are at a much deeper level is challenged. Normally we are locked into full belief in our reality - we believe we are very much a part of it and that we "are" the body in which we reside. This disorder forces us to question if we are the body we think we are. It would appear that whatever piece of our mind is keeping us in full belief is breaking down a bit, leaving us a bit outside of the "normal" feeling of being the body. Folks with this disorder can actually worry that they do not have control of their body and that this body may do something they do not want it to do. Driving a car for example can be quite traumatic if you think your body may be acting without your input.
Bipolar disorder - the book I am recommending is focused on Bipolar II disorder - essentially swinging from manic (very happy and carefree) to severe depression. This book was actually required reading during the Masters program
* Book = "An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness" by Kay Redfield Jamison
o Excellent book written by a psychologist who suffers from this disorder. This book helps to understand the importance of medication for this disorder, as well as the path of destruction that can easily be paved during carefree, manic episodes.
ADHD (attention deficit disorder)
* Book = "Scattered: How Attention Deficit Disorder Originates And What You Can Do About It" - Gabor Mate
o This is not just a great book for folks with ADHD, but for everyone - as many of the lessons here translate to all of us. This is an extremely excellent book on ADHD and living in general.
OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)
* Book = "Tormenting Thoughts and Secret Rituals: The Hidden Epidemic of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" - Ian Osborn
o Excellent book on OCD - this book will help individuals with OCD as well as those who know someone with the disorder - to understand what is happening in the mind of a person with this disorder. This book will also help OCD folks realize that they are not alone and that many of the rituals or compulsions are shared by other folks with OCD.
That is all for now, but I am still reading
Top reviews from other countries
- Dua MollReviewed in Mexico on December 27, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseHighly recommend this book!
It opens your perspective to life.
- Ross McDougallReviewed in Australia on April 30, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars pound-for-pound one of the best books available
What a spectacular gift Frankl has given society in this book. A truly heartbreaking account of time in various SS camps, the journey the author took is just as jaw-dropping as the place he found himself at the end.
Man's Search For Meaning is an excellent perspective-checker, an excellent first-hand account of how horrible people can be to each other, a tribute to the human ability to make sense of the suffering and pain one endures, and a poignant insight into the psychology that kept some prisoners alive in Auschwitz while others perished.
I was continually struck with the way Frankl beautifully weaves discussion of psychology and the ways in which people respond to shocking circumstances into the description of the realities facing the prisoners in the Nazi death camps. The book is an ongoing push-pull between feeling utterly sick reading the occurrences in the camp and inspired by the positions taken by some prisoners, as well as the beauty that sporadically managed to shine into the camp. Hope is one of the most powerful forces available to humanity, and it energised the prisoners as no bread or water could.
The new addition of a discussion of Logotherapy is very helpful for application into one's own life today, and much of Frankl's explanation of it seems logical and with merit. It's a testament to the quality of the writer that both halves of the book are equally enthralling to read and ingest.
I feel I may need to put this into a rotation to allow the concepts to sink deeper. I wish more people wrote with grace and beauty like Frankl; He shows beauty in the midst of terror and maintains an objective perspective like nobody else I've read. A story of Frankl speaking to the other prisoners and encouraging them to find hope and see the positives of their imprisonment is one of the finest things I've read.
- JReviewed in Japan on April 23, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
This book is a great compact size, and the book itself is inspiring. The cover is eye-catching and elegant.
- ChessurReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 4, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars A Profound Exploration of Purpose and Resilience
Viktor E. Frankl is an incredibly impactful and thought-provoking read. This book delves deep into the human psyche, exploring themes of suffering, purpose, and resilience through the lens of Frankl's harrowing experiences as a Holocaust survivor.
Pros:
- Inspiring and Thought-Provoking: Frankl's insights into finding meaning in the midst of suffering are deeply moving and encourage readers to reflect on their own lives.
- Accessible and Engaging: Despite the heavy subject matter, the book is written in a way that is easy to understand and highly engaging.
- Timeless Wisdom: The lessons and philosophies presented are timeless, providing valuable guidance for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of life and their place in it.
Cons:
- Intense Subject Matter: The descriptions of Frankl’s experiences in concentration camps are harrowing and may be difficult for some readers.
- Philosophical Depth: Some sections delve deeply into existential philosophy, which may be challenging for readers not accustomed to such material.
Overall:
Man's Search For Meaning is a must-read for anyone interested in psychology, philosophy, or personal development. Frankl's profound reflections on the human condition and his testament to the power of finding meaning even in the most tragic circumstances offer invaluable lessons in resilience and hope. Highly recommended for those ready to explore the depths of human purpose and perseverance.
- FlorenceReviewed in Germany on March 24, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read
This book completely changed my life! I no longer sweat small things