I was required to read this for a philosophy 102 course, and did not expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I did. Frankl does an excellent job of weaving his philosophical points seamlessly into the story he tells, and the result is poignant and thought-provoking. I sold my copy back to my school bookstore at the end of the semester, and have been regretting it ever since. ( )

This story touched me more than any other Holocaust story I have read to date. No doubt this was in part due to the authors ability to stand outside the situation and observe and later relate his thoughts and emotions from the 3rd person. ( )

Although only short, this is effectively two books in one. The first half deals with the author's intensely harrowing experiences in various concentration camps in the Second World War, while the second deals with his particular brand of psychotherapy, which was partly inspired by his earlier tragic experiences.

The description of his wartime sufferings is told with great honesty and style, and is fascinating for its relatively distanced psychological observations. One important lesson that comes out of all this is how vital it is to maintain a sense of meaning or purpose to one's life, and that this is somehow more important for survival than any physical characteristic.

The second half, where Frankl outlines his "logotherapy" theory, is interesting too. As opposed to the Freudian therapy centring on desire and pleasure, and Adlerian therapy centring on status, Frankl's theory centres on the importance of meaning and purpose, and claims that in many cases of neurosis, the cause is that a sense of meaning is lost. The theory does have useful observations, and is told with fascinating anecdotes at times, but feels very antiquated now. While trying to reinstate a sense of meaning in some mild patients with environmental difficulties is undoubtedly a useful approach, Frankl never questions whether losing a sense of meaning is a cause or symptom of more severe conditions, such as bipolar disorder.

The book is utterly worth reading for the rivetting, intensely psychological description of the holocaust, but the second psychotherapy half should probably be skimmed. ( )

holocaust survivor, sister betty recommended ( )