In review today is “Man’s search for meaning” by Viktor Frankl. In this period of my life I normally read books about entrepreneurship, and I must have gotten this book through a recommendation by an entrepreneur. But this book is different and it hit me like a train.
Summary
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist, who was among the lucky (and few) to survive the horror of German concentration camps during World War Two. Between 1942 and 1945, Frankl labored in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother and pregnant wife perished. This is a story about finding the strength to deal with the almost unreal cruelty, mental and physical torture that lasted for years. Frankl argues that although suffering cannot be avoided, one can try to cope with it by finding a meaning.
I read the book in one evening, in one breath, and felt terrified at first, followed by vivid and strong emotions that followed me through the sleepless night. If you decide to read this book, be ready to be profoundly shaken.
Key takeaway #1
The salvation of man is through love and in love.
After reading the book, I felt the bond between me and my family, wife and daughter, strengthening by orders of magnitude in an unexplainable way.
Key takeaway #2
Life in the concentration camp tore open the human soul and exposed its depths. Frankl settles “There are only two races of men in this world but only two: the “race”of the decent men and the “race” of the indecent men.”
Related to this I recently began thinking about ‘humbleness’, and how important this character trait it is. I think it is almost impossible for a humble person to be indecent.
Rating
I am rating this book 90 out of 100 for the sheer emotional explosion it produces. Be warned.
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