Man's Search for Meaning

April 1, 2017
Gr 8 Up-Holocaust survivor and psychologist Frankl's classic work was originally published in 1959 and is divided into two main sections: -Experiences in a Concentration Camp- and -Logotherapy in a Nutshell.- Frankl is forthright about the camps, describing the ever-present threat of death, terrible living conditions, starvation, thoughts of suicide, and so on, but he does not dwell on the horrifying details. As a psychologist, he was interested in how people responded to the situation more than the situation itself, and his writing reflects that viewpoint. Frankl's theory of logotherapy -focuses on the meaning of human existence as well as man's search for such a meaning.... This striving to find a meaning in one's life is the primary motivational force in man.- This new YA edition keeps the concentration camp piece intact but simplifies the logotherapy segment. Even so, the vocabulary and concepts will be challenging to many readers and will require investigation and explanation for students to understand. VERDICT Frankl's first-person account is compelling and offers a unique perspective to teenagers interested in reading further after exposure to Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl or other World War II narratives.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

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