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Rider Co Embracing Hope (International Edition).
This new collection of rediscovered works from bestselling author Viktor Frankl will provide a new set of lessons for those searching for meaning and purpose
From the bestselling author of Man's Search for Meaning , which has sold over 16 million copies
From the international bestselling author of Man’s Search for Meaning and Yes to Life in Spite of Everything comes a new collection of four previously unpublished works that expound on Frankl’s themes of finding purpose and meaning, with a focus on individual and collective responsibility.
This inspiring work is divided into four distinct parts, each offering a unique perspective on Frankl's timeless themes. Part 1, based on a 1955 article published in a medical journal is about the “collective neurosis” that Frankl believed took hold in the West after World War II, leading to a sense of emptiness in society. Part 2 is the transcript of a 1977 television interview where Frankl shares that to achieve a sense of meaning in life, individuals should primarily focus on others. Part 3 is based on a 1946 lecture where Frankl examines the relationship between freedom and responsibility in the search for a meaningful existence. Part 4 is based on lecture given in 1984 where Frankl brings his ideas through the decades together and expands on the idea of personal responsibility.
Published here for the first time in the United States, On Meaning, Freedom, Responsibility continues Frankl’s enduring life’s work and provides further lessons for those searching for meaning and purpose. Whether you're a devoted follower of Frankl's work or a newcomer seeking to enrich your understanding of life's purpose, this book promises a captivating journey that will leave you pondering its teachings long after you've turned the final page.
From the bestselling author of Man's Search for Meaning , which has sold over 16 million copies
From the international bestselling author of Man’s Search for Meaning and Yes to Life in Spite of Everything comes a new collection of four previously unpublished works that expound on Frankl’s themes of finding purpose and meaning, with a focus on individual and collective responsibility.
This inspiring work is divided into four distinct parts, each offering a unique perspective on Frankl's timeless themes. Part 1, based on a 1955 article published in a medical journal is about the “collective neurosis” that Frankl believed took hold in the West after World War II, leading to a sense of emptiness in society. Part 2 is the transcript of a 1977 television interview where Frankl shares that to achieve a sense of meaning in life, individuals should primarily focus on others. Part 3 is based on a 1946 lecture where Frankl examines the relationship between freedom and responsibility in the search for a meaningful existence. Part 4 is based on lecture given in 1984 where Frankl brings his ideas through the decades together and expands on the idea of personal responsibility.
Published here for the first time in the United States, On Meaning, Freedom, Responsibility continues Frankl’s enduring life’s work and provides further lessons for those searching for meaning and purpose. Whether you're a devoted follower of Frankl's work or a newcomer seeking to enrich your understanding of life's purpose, this book promises a captivating journey that will leave you pondering its teachings long after you've turned the final page.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published June 13, 2024
135 people are currently reading
3504 people want to read
About the author
Viktor E. Frankl
182 books8,072 followersViktor Emil Frankl was an Austrian neurologist, psychologist, philosopher, and Holocaust survivor, who founded logotherapy, a school of psychotherapy that describes a search for a life's meaning as the central human motivational force. Logotherapy is part of existential and humanistic psychology theories.
Logotherapy was promoted as the third school of Viennese Psychotherapy, after those established by Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler.
Frankl published 39 books. The autobiographical Man's Search for Meaning, a best-selling book, is based on his experiences in various Nazi concentration camps.
Logotherapy was promoted as the third school of Viennese Psychotherapy, after those established by Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler.
Frankl published 39 books. The autobiographical Man's Search for Meaning, a best-selling book, is based on his experiences in various Nazi concentration camps.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 21, 2024
“Embracing Hope: On Freedom, Responsibility & The Meaning of Life” by Victor E. Frankl is not just a rehash of his previous works. Although Frankl never wavered on his original message found in his famous “Man’s Search for Meaning,” this book—a collection of interviews, lectures, and texts spanning the years 1946 through 1984—includes new insight. This book is arranged into four sections:
1. Meaning and Responsibility in the Face of Transience,
2. Ways of Finding Meaning,
3. Crisis and the Meaning of Zeitgeist, and
4. Freedom and Responsibility
While I enjoyed the book in its entirety and know that it can help many, both the third and fourth sections are extremely relevant today, not just regarding politics in the United States, but also regarding terrorism.
The one sentence uttered by Frankl that really resonated with me—and there were many—was the following:
“We have seen an entire nation collapsing in on itself, impacted by a slogan.”
Frankl talks at length in the third and fourth sections about political neuroses, which we’ve seen a lot of since 2019. However, he also discusses terrorism and culpability. And, if you’ve read any of Frankl’s previously published work, you would not be surprised that he discusses both personal and group responsibility as well. Frankl’s words are so applicable to today. For example, he stated that,
“…a nation in its entirety and also every single individual who belongs to that nation, is liable for the fact that it had to be liberated from tyranny and terror by other nations…since they were not able to do it themselves, and since they were too powerless to do it, as they themselves continue to assert.”
Frankl wasn’t just talking about post-war Germany or even the 1940s. His words apply even today, shedding light on wars that have plagued humankind for millennia.
This book really helps me to become more enmeshed in Frankl’s philosophy. His insistence on each human’s innate responsibility for their own behavior is enlightening, particularly as we (in the U.S.) get closer to the election date. Frankl discusses in length how fanaticism plays out in the political sphere. For example, he tells readers that,
“The test question for…fanaticism: “Is it your view that someone who wants the best is justified in using any means he thinks suitable to achieve it?” Certainly, in our view, nothing is so indicative of a fanatic as the fact that for him everything is just a means to an end. His view is that the end justifies the means.”
And while many might automatically think of political actors such as candidates for office, this applies equally well to many of the protests that have erupted around the world, including the harassment and abuse of Jewish American students on college campuses. Frankl clarifies over and over again that each human being is responsible for their own behavior and are likewise collectively liable for behaviors that they participate in as a group.
Viktor Frankl is a fascinating individual and has so much insight into the human psyche. If you haven’t already read anything written by him, I strongly recommend that you begin with “Man’s Search for Meaning,” and then progress through his other works, including this one.
1. Meaning and Responsibility in the Face of Transience,
2. Ways of Finding Meaning,
3. Crisis and the Meaning of Zeitgeist, and
4. Freedom and Responsibility
While I enjoyed the book in its entirety and know that it can help many, both the third and fourth sections are extremely relevant today, not just regarding politics in the United States, but also regarding terrorism.
The one sentence uttered by Frankl that really resonated with me—and there were many—was the following:
“We have seen an entire nation collapsing in on itself, impacted by a slogan.”
Frankl talks at length in the third and fourth sections about political neuroses, which we’ve seen a lot of since 2019. However, he also discusses terrorism and culpability. And, if you’ve read any of Frankl’s previously published work, you would not be surprised that he discusses both personal and group responsibility as well. Frankl’s words are so applicable to today. For example, he stated that,
“…a nation in its entirety and also every single individual who belongs to that nation, is liable for the fact that it had to be liberated from tyranny and terror by other nations…since they were not able to do it themselves, and since they were too powerless to do it, as they themselves continue to assert.”
Frankl wasn’t just talking about post-war Germany or even the 1940s. His words apply even today, shedding light on wars that have plagued humankind for millennia.
This book really helps me to become more enmeshed in Frankl’s philosophy. His insistence on each human’s innate responsibility for their own behavior is enlightening, particularly as we (in the U.S.) get closer to the election date. Frankl discusses in length how fanaticism plays out in the political sphere. For example, he tells readers that,
“The test question for…fanaticism: “Is it your view that someone who wants the best is justified in using any means he thinks suitable to achieve it?” Certainly, in our view, nothing is so indicative of a fanatic as the fact that for him everything is just a means to an end. His view is that the end justifies the means.”
And while many might automatically think of political actors such as candidates for office, this applies equally well to many of the protests that have erupted around the world, including the harassment and abuse of Jewish American students on college campuses. Frankl clarifies over and over again that each human being is responsible for their own behavior and are likewise collectively liable for behaviors that they participate in as a group.
Viktor Frankl is a fascinating individual and has so much insight into the human psyche. If you haven’t already read anything written by him, I strongly recommend that you begin with “Man’s Search for Meaning,” and then progress through his other works, including this one.
December 10, 2025
The bird on the cover of this book is small. Yet, it soars like the swifts who come in droves to the shores of the Baltic in summer. They are masters at navigating their journey from Africa then back again before each autumn. While they are here, they fly past our windows nearly scraping the glass. These displays are testaments to their daring and shine like beacons of hope.
Frankl's essays are like those swifts. I don't want to let them go but feel richer for the brief time we had together.
Frankl's essays are like those swifts. I don't want to let them go but feel richer for the brief time we had together.
July 21, 2024
There is a lot more psychology jargon than I expected, but Frankl’s wisdom, genuine compassion and empathy, and conviction, solidified by the most difficult of life experiences (his and his patients’) make this an engaging this. This is indeed a book about hope, but also a hopeful book.
Some of the resonant takeaways:
1) Three avenues for finding meaning in the everyday - in our work, relationships (though he uses the word love), and if the situation puts you in difficulty, in suffering.
2) There is such a thing as Sunday neuroses, when people don’t know what to do with themselves outside of the working week, and fall into despair. So find meaning in life outside of work, too
3) We choose what to do, how to react to unideal circumstances. I like the experience he uses: stride forward and step up.
4) Will to meaning - it is our responsibility to find meaning in our life, because that will make our life
Some of the resonant takeaways:
1) Three avenues for finding meaning in the everyday - in our work, relationships (though he uses the word love), and if the situation puts you in difficulty, in suffering.
2) There is such a thing as Sunday neuroses, when people don’t know what to do with themselves outside of the working week, and fall into despair. So find meaning in life outside of work, too
3) We choose what to do, how to react to unideal circumstances. I like the experience he uses: stride forward and step up.
4) Will to meaning - it is our responsibility to find meaning in our life, because that will make our life
August 24, 2025
I am struggling with meaning after my husband died. One line brought me to tears...paraphrasing, we find meaning in our life thru love. That's why I was at sea.. my meaning was literally gone. Now I must build a new meaning, thru work and/or suffering. Now I understand the task.
April 10, 2025
New collection, freshly inspiring
November 26, 2025
Embracing Hope was not quite as thought-provoking as Man's Search for Meaning. I listened to the audiobook and couldn't really find myself reflecting deeply upon what was being discussed in the book. If Man's Search for Meaning is baseline for Frankl's works, this title didn't quite reach the mark for me.
May 20, 2025
Not as accessible nor applicable as his Man's Search for Meaning, Frankl's logotherapy, view of the human state and condition, and life experience make this at least a book to browse.
Some points from the book to consider:
Despair: can come from the idolatry of a particular value, ie: If one doesn't have a job that means life has no meaning and one is useless. This is faulty thinking. If one believes in absolutes, that life can only be meaningful if they are married, have children, or a career, then they are programmed for despair.
But we can overcome this and find meaning in every moment and every hour. We can be open to new experiences and see where those lead us. We can be flexible and resilient to what life has to offer. We can set life conditions but that won't lead us to joy; we must keep our eyes open to notice what's going on. By experiencing and loving we squeeze meaning out of life.
Ways we can find meaning:
Through work
Through love
Through experiencing culture, nature, research, etc
Some points from the book to consider:
Despair: can come from the idolatry of a particular value, ie: If one doesn't have a job that means life has no meaning and one is useless. This is faulty thinking. If one believes in absolutes, that life can only be meaningful if they are married, have children, or a career, then they are programmed for despair.
But we can overcome this and find meaning in every moment and every hour. We can be open to new experiences and see where those lead us. We can be flexible and resilient to what life has to offer. We can set life conditions but that won't lead us to joy; we must keep our eyes open to notice what's going on. By experiencing and loving we squeeze meaning out of life.
Ways we can find meaning:
Through work
Through love
Through experiencing culture, nature, research, etc
December 24, 2024
This short book of essays from Viktor Frankl did not have quite the impact on me as have others of his works, such as Man's Search for Meaning, which I read 15 years ago now but which still comes back to me in pieces when it matters to the moment. I read this pretty fast, so I want to go back to it in a couple years and see what I discover then.
I still recommend this book, for now, to readers of existential philosophy, psychology, and self-help. There will likely be something for those readers here.
I still recommend this book, for now, to readers of existential philosophy, psychology, and self-help. There will likely be something for those readers here.
August 8, 2024
There was one page that felt transformative when reading it. I know full well that's because it's exactly the message I needed to hear, and results may vary. Regardless, there is wisdom in here for everyone.
March 26, 2025
Speechless to describe how timely and needed this book is! What we can’t change we should embrace, such as that people are divided into those who have dignity and who don’t. The latter are in majority.
October 4, 2025
Book Review: Embracing Hope by Viktor E. Frankl — 35%
Frankl’s Embracing Hope tries to turn mortality into philosophy, and it collapses under its own weight. The central claim—that life only has meaning because we die—is lazy thinking masquerading as depth. It assumes the worst of people: that without death, we’d all become apathetic, selfish slugs incapable of purpose. That’s not insight—it’s cynicism dressed up as existentialism.
The premise depends on a false dichotomy. It imagines two kinds of people: those who strive because they’re racing against the clock, and those who stop caring when the deadline disappears. But that ignores everything we know about human variation. People aren’t static. They grow, pivot, strengthen, break, rebuild, and reinvent themselves across time. Immortality wouldn’t erase that; it would magnify it. You’d have infinite time to evolve—or to fail repeatedly until you find something worth pursuing. That isn’t apathy—it’s potential.
Frankl’s logic is mostly emotional. He leans on poetic phrasing, loose analogies, and sentimentality, not coherent reasoning. He invokes that tired metaphor about asking a chess master for “the best move,” as if that somehow validates the subjectivity of meaning. But it’s just rhetorical smoke. No serious epistemology sits behind it—just moral hand-waving born from despair. And sure, his experience in the camps was horrific. But personal trauma doesn’t automatically transform feelings into universal truth. Suffering can inform philosophy; it doesn’t excuse poor logic.
The book ultimately contributes nothing rational to discussions about meaning, immortality, or human drive. It assumes scarcity and death are the engines of purpose, when in reality, those are constraints. The absence of death could just as easily free people to pursue curiosity, creation, and connection—values not tethered to fear or urgency. That’s where genuine meaning could begin to expand, not collapse.
Embracing Hope is more eulogy than exploration—a pessimistic sermon disguised as wisdom. It’s emotionally heavy but intellectually hollow. 35%.
Frankl’s Embracing Hope tries to turn mortality into philosophy, and it collapses under its own weight. The central claim—that life only has meaning because we die—is lazy thinking masquerading as depth. It assumes the worst of people: that without death, we’d all become apathetic, selfish slugs incapable of purpose. That’s not insight—it’s cynicism dressed up as existentialism.
The premise depends on a false dichotomy. It imagines two kinds of people: those who strive because they’re racing against the clock, and those who stop caring when the deadline disappears. But that ignores everything we know about human variation. People aren’t static. They grow, pivot, strengthen, break, rebuild, and reinvent themselves across time. Immortality wouldn’t erase that; it would magnify it. You’d have infinite time to evolve—or to fail repeatedly until you find something worth pursuing. That isn’t apathy—it’s potential.
Frankl’s logic is mostly emotional. He leans on poetic phrasing, loose analogies, and sentimentality, not coherent reasoning. He invokes that tired metaphor about asking a chess master for “the best move,” as if that somehow validates the subjectivity of meaning. But it’s just rhetorical smoke. No serious epistemology sits behind it—just moral hand-waving born from despair. And sure, his experience in the camps was horrific. But personal trauma doesn’t automatically transform feelings into universal truth. Suffering can inform philosophy; it doesn’t excuse poor logic.
The book ultimately contributes nothing rational to discussions about meaning, immortality, or human drive. It assumes scarcity and death are the engines of purpose, when in reality, those are constraints. The absence of death could just as easily free people to pursue curiosity, creation, and connection—values not tethered to fear or urgency. That’s where genuine meaning could begin to expand, not collapse.
Embracing Hope is more eulogy than exploration—a pessimistic sermon disguised as wisdom. It’s emotionally heavy but intellectually hollow. 35%.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2024
I should probably read this again and appreciate it more because I didn’t get much
November 9, 2024
There are possibilities for finding meaning, but not exclusive ones. They could change at any moment. At any moment, the offer—the offer of meaning in my life—can be different. I must be open, I must keep an open mind, I must keep my eyes open. I must have broad horizons in order to notice what’s going on, to notice when and where life might offer me a hidden possibility for finding meaning.
People often despair, and I have a theory—which, of course, I can’t prove here and now—that every instance of despair is actually caused by a kind of idolatry, that is to say, the idolization of a particular value. If one makes these values (and that’s what they are) absolute, then one is programmed for despair. Therefore, it is important for us to reverse this process of idolization, to be open to possibilities for finding meaning that can be different from hour to hour, from minute to minute, and that are certainly different from person to person. Here and now, life is offering me meaning—in one way or another. I can be active and shape it, or I can be passive and receptive, and let beauty and truth influence me through research or education, or by experiencing and accepting the essence of human beings not only in their humanity but also in their uniqueness and singularity—in other words, when I love them.
These translations of lectures and interviews make some of his teachings more accessible, less in the rarefied air of academia, and it was so important to hear his “umms and buts,” meaning the human behind the wisdom. I don’t know if surviving the Holocaust makes everyone a hero, or surviving it and still being a decent person, or trying to help people levels the game up, but the wisdom certainly does. It transcends time, and circumstance and offers hope and solace to us all. If the Nazis could be brought down, even if they are trying to rise again, so can the current wave of hate and anger towards those who are not like them.
Ironically, I started this right before the 2024 election, hoping for some hope and some solace, but my grief is too strong right now, and all I can think is that those who should would never read this, or care, or understand. So what good does it do, and as usual, that’s the wrong question. Frankl wrote that another Holocaust can happen at any time. I don’t have a lot of control over that, but I do over how I cope and thrive with my own transience. So that is a gift beyond measure.
What is the relationship of this ultimate meaning, this final meaning, this “super-meaning,” as I call it (this doesn’t have anything to do with the supernatural, by the way, but just means “beyond our limited capacity for understanding”)? What is the relationship of this super-meaning to the tangible meaning that speaks to me personally and that I try to extract from a given situation? This relationship is very simple. Think about when you’re watching a film at the cinema. This film consists of hundreds of thousands or millions of individual frames. And each one of these frames, every single one of these scenes, has a certain meaning that you can grasp.
However, you cannot grasp the film’s ultimate meaning—it doesn’t become apparent until the end. In other words, the ultimate meaning, the big picture, can at best appear to us when we are lying on our death bed. And in spite of this, it could never have been fulfilled, we could never have realized that ultimate meaning if we had not tried to fulfil the meaning of each individual scene of our lives, every single situation in our lives, to the best of our knowledge or ignorance, to our best knowledge and belief. So that is the relationship between the all-encompassing but elusive ultimate meaning and the specific, personal “shaping of meaning”
The topic of my lecture is not “conquering the past” but “conquering transience.” So I won’t be talking about conquering the past, or even conquering one’s own personal past, rather: how a person can manage the transience of human existence, the transience of life—i.e., how he can cope with this fact, and deal with the knowledge that human life is essentially impermanent. Or more specifically, how an individual can get to a place where he can say “yes” to life in spite of its transience, how he can affirm his life in spite of his own mortality.
We live in a so-called leisure society. People just don’t know what to do with their free time. During this free time, an inner emptiness, a worldwide and pervasive feeling of futility, breaks out in the form of Sunday neurosis, or “weekend depression.” But the problem of unemployment is apparently going to be cured by a reduction in working hours! And we already have so many problems with the retirement crisis, which also represents an existential crisis, a crisis of meaning, when, from one day to the next, pensioners don’t know what to do with this sudden surge of free time. The problems of early retirement and so on cannot be solved sociopolitically by catching pensioners in the social welfare net. The net is too wide-meshed and the psychological problems that accompany all this will just fall through.
The century in which these texts were written, Frankl’s century, encompassed the whole kaleidoscope of our human existence. And it seems that its significance endures. Then, as now, freedom and powerlessness, the collective and the individual, the external and the internal, stood in direct and sometimes irreconcilable opposition to one another. TOBIAS ESCH
In 1988, a significant event marked the fiftieth anniversary of Austria’s annexation into Nazi Germany, and my grandfather was invited to speak. Addressing the gathering, he reflected on the “race-madness” of the Nazis, who categorized human beings based on ethnicity. With pointed emphasis, he stated that, in his lifetime, he had encountered only two distinct “races” of humans—a term he enclosed in quotation marks. According to his perspective, within every nation, political party, or group, one could find two “races” of people: the decent and the indecent. He maintained that decent individuals, constituting a perpetual minority, would likely remain so. Consequently, the potential for another Holocaust existed universally and at any given time.
Responding to a reporter’s question about his seemingly pessimistic view of human nature, Frankl clarified that his statement was neither pessimistic nor optimistic but rather “activistic.” Emphasizing the importance of each person striving to be among the minority of “decent” individuals, he asserted that decency or indecency is purely a matter of personal choice. Rejecting divisive categorizations based on ethnicity, age, gender, or religion, he underscored the unity of one humankind. ALEXANDER VESELY-FRANKL
Wwhat, precisely, gives us meaning and purpose? Here, Frankl gives us three answers that have been impressively confirmed by current research on happiness, as well as in our own laboratory. A person finds meaning when they have work or a task to carry out; when they love or are loved; or when, through suffering, they are tested by life and experience growth as a result of the crisis. With this explanation, Frankl rejects the idea that true meaning and deep happiness can only be experienced through suffering. Under no circumstances should one seek out suffering in order to find meaning. But the very fact that a person can turn “a tragedy into a triumph” makes us profoundly human. TOBIAS ESCH
Frankl describes us human beings as successful “conquerors of transience.” And as early as 1946, assigns to us a “planetary responsibility.” TOBIAS ESCH
Frankl employs his idea of “self-transcendence”: by taking responsibility not only for ourselves but also for our impact on the planet, and by becoming stronger through our difficulties and growing as human beings, we are able to feel the “we” more powerfully than the “I” or ego—and can experience a deep sense of connectedness, as well as feeling truly responsible, across not only physical but also generational boundaries. TOBIAS ESCH
People often despair, and I have a theory—which, of course, I can’t prove here and now—that every instance of despair is actually caused by a kind of idolatry, that is to say, the idolization of a particular value. If one makes these values (and that’s what they are) absolute, then one is programmed for despair. Therefore, it is important for us to reverse this process of idolization, to be open to possibilities for finding meaning that can be different from hour to hour, from minute to minute, and that are certainly different from person to person. Here and now, life is offering me meaning—in one way or another. I can be active and shape it, or I can be passive and receptive, and let beauty and truth influence me through research or education, or by experiencing and accepting the essence of human beings not only in their humanity but also in their uniqueness and singularity—in other words, when I love them.
These translations of lectures and interviews make some of his teachings more accessible, less in the rarefied air of academia, and it was so important to hear his “umms and buts,” meaning the human behind the wisdom. I don’t know if surviving the Holocaust makes everyone a hero, or surviving it and still being a decent person, or trying to help people levels the game up, but the wisdom certainly does. It transcends time, and circumstance and offers hope and solace to us all. If the Nazis could be brought down, even if they are trying to rise again, so can the current wave of hate and anger towards those who are not like them.
Ironically, I started this right before the 2024 election, hoping for some hope and some solace, but my grief is too strong right now, and all I can think is that those who should would never read this, or care, or understand. So what good does it do, and as usual, that’s the wrong question. Frankl wrote that another Holocaust can happen at any time. I don’t have a lot of control over that, but I do over how I cope and thrive with my own transience. So that is a gift beyond measure.
What is the relationship of this ultimate meaning, this final meaning, this “super-meaning,” as I call it (this doesn’t have anything to do with the supernatural, by the way, but just means “beyond our limited capacity for understanding”)? What is the relationship of this super-meaning to the tangible meaning that speaks to me personally and that I try to extract from a given situation? This relationship is very simple. Think about when you’re watching a film at the cinema. This film consists of hundreds of thousands or millions of individual frames. And each one of these frames, every single one of these scenes, has a certain meaning that you can grasp.
However, you cannot grasp the film’s ultimate meaning—it doesn’t become apparent until the end. In other words, the ultimate meaning, the big picture, can at best appear to us when we are lying on our death bed. And in spite of this, it could never have been fulfilled, we could never have realized that ultimate meaning if we had not tried to fulfil the meaning of each individual scene of our lives, every single situation in our lives, to the best of our knowledge or ignorance, to our best knowledge and belief. So that is the relationship between the all-encompassing but elusive ultimate meaning and the specific, personal “shaping of meaning”
The topic of my lecture is not “conquering the past” but “conquering transience.” So I won’t be talking about conquering the past, or even conquering one’s own personal past, rather: how a person can manage the transience of human existence, the transience of life—i.e., how he can cope with this fact, and deal with the knowledge that human life is essentially impermanent. Or more specifically, how an individual can get to a place where he can say “yes” to life in spite of its transience, how he can affirm his life in spite of his own mortality.
We live in a so-called leisure society. People just don’t know what to do with their free time. During this free time, an inner emptiness, a worldwide and pervasive feeling of futility, breaks out in the form of Sunday neurosis, or “weekend depression.” But the problem of unemployment is apparently going to be cured by a reduction in working hours! And we already have so many problems with the retirement crisis, which also represents an existential crisis, a crisis of meaning, when, from one day to the next, pensioners don’t know what to do with this sudden surge of free time. The problems of early retirement and so on cannot be solved sociopolitically by catching pensioners in the social welfare net. The net is too wide-meshed and the psychological problems that accompany all this will just fall through.
The century in which these texts were written, Frankl’s century, encompassed the whole kaleidoscope of our human existence. And it seems that its significance endures. Then, as now, freedom and powerlessness, the collective and the individual, the external and the internal, stood in direct and sometimes irreconcilable opposition to one another. TOBIAS ESCH
In 1988, a significant event marked the fiftieth anniversary of Austria’s annexation into Nazi Germany, and my grandfather was invited to speak. Addressing the gathering, he reflected on the “race-madness” of the Nazis, who categorized human beings based on ethnicity. With pointed emphasis, he stated that, in his lifetime, he had encountered only two distinct “races” of humans—a term he enclosed in quotation marks. According to his perspective, within every nation, political party, or group, one could find two “races” of people: the decent and the indecent. He maintained that decent individuals, constituting a perpetual minority, would likely remain so. Consequently, the potential for another Holocaust existed universally and at any given time.
Responding to a reporter’s question about his seemingly pessimistic view of human nature, Frankl clarified that his statement was neither pessimistic nor optimistic but rather “activistic.” Emphasizing the importance of each person striving to be among the minority of “decent” individuals, he asserted that decency or indecency is purely a matter of personal choice. Rejecting divisive categorizations based on ethnicity, age, gender, or religion, he underscored the unity of one humankind. ALEXANDER VESELY-FRANKL
Wwhat, precisely, gives us meaning and purpose? Here, Frankl gives us three answers that have been impressively confirmed by current research on happiness, as well as in our own laboratory. A person finds meaning when they have work or a task to carry out; when they love or are loved; or when, through suffering, they are tested by life and experience growth as a result of the crisis. With this explanation, Frankl rejects the idea that true meaning and deep happiness can only be experienced through suffering. Under no circumstances should one seek out suffering in order to find meaning. But the very fact that a person can turn “a tragedy into a triumph” makes us profoundly human. TOBIAS ESCH
Frankl describes us human beings as successful “conquerors of transience.” And as early as 1946, assigns to us a “planetary responsibility.” TOBIAS ESCH
Frankl employs his idea of “self-transcendence”: by taking responsibility not only for ourselves but also for our impact on the planet, and by becoming stronger through our difficulties and growing as human beings, we are able to feel the “we” more powerfully than the “I” or ego—and can experience a deep sense of connectedness, as well as feeling truly responsible, across not only physical but also generational boundaries. TOBIAS ESCH
September 26, 2024
I've mentioned in my reviews of the other two books of Frankl's I've read that if asked to name the most influential books I've ever read, I would include Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" in the top three. And it might just be number one.
Consequently, I've lost track of how many times I've read that book over the years. Still, each time I reread it I pick up something new, which is the surest sign of a classic.
This work by Frankl is a new collection of four previously unpublished works that expound on Frankl’s themes of finding purpose and meaning, with a focus on individual and collective responsibility.
It's divided into four distinct parts, each offering a unique perspective on Frankl's timeless themes:
Part 1 is based on a 1955 article published in a medical journal is about the “collective neurosis” that Frankl believed took hold in the West after World War II, leading to a sense of emptiness in society. Without a doubt, this was my favorite of the four works.
Part 2 is the transcript of a 1977 television interview where Frankl shared that to achieve a sense of meaning in life, individuals should primarily focus on others. I enjoyed this interview as well.
Part 3 is based on a 1946 lecture where Frankl examined the relationship between freedom and responsibility in the search for a meaningful existence. This Part was more academic and less enjoyable than the first two.
Finally, Part 4 is based on lecture given in 1984 where Frankl brought his ideas through the decades together and expanded on the idea of personal responsibility. By far, this was my least favorite of the four sections because it was highly academic in tone and coverage of the topics. Consequently, I found myself rereading sections to make sure I was understanding Frankl's points.
Overall, I think my three-star rating for this work is spot on. I liked it. But it wasn't as enjoyable or thought-provoking as "Yes to Life." And it was nowhere near as powerful as "Man's Search for Meaning."
Having said that, I'll leave you with one of the more powerful excerpts from Part 1 of the book - one that recently took on a much deeper meaning when my wife barely survived a horrific bike crash while competing in the Madison, WI half-Ironman:
"So, in the face of death, life needs to be managed. But we must never forget that life is a constant process of dying, the continuous withering away of something or someone that we love. You could say that the life of a human being is a constant farewell...the fundamental question is whether this transience, this mortality...makes life not worth living, devalues it, or makes it meaningless, robbing it of all meaning...And I would like to start with the assumption that death is not only unable to take away life's meaning, it actually GIVES life meaning...Only in the face of death, only under pressure from the finiteness, the temporal limitation of human existence, is there any point in going about our business...in experiencing life, and not only in experiencing life but also in loving someone, and even in bravely enduring and surviving something that is inflicted on us." [pp. 3-4]
"
Consequently, I've lost track of how many times I've read that book over the years. Still, each time I reread it I pick up something new, which is the surest sign of a classic.
This work by Frankl is a new collection of four previously unpublished works that expound on Frankl’s themes of finding purpose and meaning, with a focus on individual and collective responsibility.
It's divided into four distinct parts, each offering a unique perspective on Frankl's timeless themes:
Part 1 is based on a 1955 article published in a medical journal is about the “collective neurosis” that Frankl believed took hold in the West after World War II, leading to a sense of emptiness in society. Without a doubt, this was my favorite of the four works.
Part 2 is the transcript of a 1977 television interview where Frankl shared that to achieve a sense of meaning in life, individuals should primarily focus on others. I enjoyed this interview as well.
Part 3 is based on a 1946 lecture where Frankl examined the relationship between freedom and responsibility in the search for a meaningful existence. This Part was more academic and less enjoyable than the first two.
Finally, Part 4 is based on lecture given in 1984 where Frankl brought his ideas through the decades together and expanded on the idea of personal responsibility. By far, this was my least favorite of the four sections because it was highly academic in tone and coverage of the topics. Consequently, I found myself rereading sections to make sure I was understanding Frankl's points.
Overall, I think my three-star rating for this work is spot on. I liked it. But it wasn't as enjoyable or thought-provoking as "Yes to Life." And it was nowhere near as powerful as "Man's Search for Meaning."
Having said that, I'll leave you with one of the more powerful excerpts from Part 1 of the book - one that recently took on a much deeper meaning when my wife barely survived a horrific bike crash while competing in the Madison, WI half-Ironman:
"So, in the face of death, life needs to be managed. But we must never forget that life is a constant process of dying, the continuous withering away of something or someone that we love. You could say that the life of a human being is a constant farewell...the fundamental question is whether this transience, this mortality...makes life not worth living, devalues it, or makes it meaningless, robbing it of all meaning...And I would like to start with the assumption that death is not only unable to take away life's meaning, it actually GIVES life meaning...Only in the face of death, only under pressure from the finiteness, the temporal limitation of human existence, is there any point in going about our business...in experiencing life, and not only in experiencing life but also in loving someone, and even in bravely enduring and surviving something that is inflicted on us." [pp. 3-4]
"
December 8, 2024
" Embracing Hope - On Freedom, Responsibility & the Meaning of Life," a highly anticipated rediscovery from Viktor Frankl, the esteemed psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, explores themes of freedom, responsibility, and finding meaning in the transient nature of life. This collection, featuring four previously unpublished works, marks its debut in the United States and offers an insightful exploration of Frankl’s enduring ideas. Each section delves into different aspects of his philosophy, providing readers with a profound understanding of how to find purpose and navigate life's challenges.
The book is organized into four distinct parts. Part 1, derived from a 1955 article, addresses the "collective neurosis" that Frankl perceived in the post-World War II West, highlighting a widespread sense of emptiness in society. Part 2 features a 1977 television interview where Frankl emphasizes the importance of focusing on others to achieve a meaningful life. In Part 3, based on a 1946 lecture, Frankl explores the interplay between freedom and responsibility in the quest for a fulfilling existence. Finally, Part 4, from a 1984 lecture, synthesizes his ideas on personal responsibility and its role in achieving meaning.
Frankl’s "Embracing Hope" continues his exploration of fundamental human concepts with practical insights. The book delves into finding meaning and purpose through various aspects of life, including work, relationships, and even suffering. Frankl's reflections on how hope and responsibility can help individuals overcome adversity are particularly compelling, drawing from his own harrowing experiences in Nazi concentration camps.
Central to Frankl’s philosophy is the balance between freedom and responsibility. He argues that true freedom involves the ability to choose one's attitude and actions, even in the most dire circumstances. This freedom, however, must be accompanied by responsibility to avoid chaos and ensure that one's choices benefit both oneself and the broader community. Frankl’s concept of logotherapy, a meaning-centered approach to mental health, weaves throughout the book, reinforcing the idea that personal and collective responsibility is key to finding purpose.
Overall, "Embracing Hope" offers a profound and timely exploration of Frankl’s enduring themes. Whether you are a long-time follower of his work or new to his ideas, the book promises to be a thought-provoking read, leaving you with much to ponder about the nature of freedom, responsibility, and the search for meaning in challenging times.
The book is organized into four distinct parts. Part 1, derived from a 1955 article, addresses the "collective neurosis" that Frankl perceived in the post-World War II West, highlighting a widespread sense of emptiness in society. Part 2 features a 1977 television interview where Frankl emphasizes the importance of focusing on others to achieve a meaningful life. In Part 3, based on a 1946 lecture, Frankl explores the interplay between freedom and responsibility in the quest for a fulfilling existence. Finally, Part 4, from a 1984 lecture, synthesizes his ideas on personal responsibility and its role in achieving meaning.
Frankl’s "Embracing Hope" continues his exploration of fundamental human concepts with practical insights. The book delves into finding meaning and purpose through various aspects of life, including work, relationships, and even suffering. Frankl's reflections on how hope and responsibility can help individuals overcome adversity are particularly compelling, drawing from his own harrowing experiences in Nazi concentration camps.
Central to Frankl’s philosophy is the balance between freedom and responsibility. He argues that true freedom involves the ability to choose one's attitude and actions, even in the most dire circumstances. This freedom, however, must be accompanied by responsibility to avoid chaos and ensure that one's choices benefit both oneself and the broader community. Frankl’s concept of logotherapy, a meaning-centered approach to mental health, weaves throughout the book, reinforcing the idea that personal and collective responsibility is key to finding purpose.
Overall, "Embracing Hope" offers a profound and timely exploration of Frankl’s enduring themes. Whether you are a long-time follower of his work or new to his ideas, the book promises to be a thought-provoking read, leaving you with much to ponder about the nature of freedom, responsibility, and the search for meaning in challenging times.
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April 8, 2025The first essays in the book were helpful and talked about his philosophy from Man's Search for Meaning and the ways to find meaning in life. One of the essays discussed his theory that the progress of technology, making things technically easier for humans to survive, has also increased our rates of mental struggles. He had an idea that man was meant to thrive under struggles and pressure, and that when people get bored, they become suicidal.
At least one of the chapters was an interview layout which I enjoyed reading as well.
The last essay completely lost me; I had no idea what he was talking about, he kept using phrases such as "socialism" and "Marxism" but I didn't understand what angle he was taking, whether he was speaking of them neutrally, positively, or negatively. It was this last essay that felt as though he were speaking with the assumption that his audience agreed with certain unspoken statements, and then building off of those things and discussing implications of them, when I didn't even know what those unspoken statements were. Of course I know what socialism and Marxism are, but people can use those words to talk about anything. When someone starts talking about them without any context or definition of their own, the words quickly lose their meaning, and I had no idea what he was talking about--and then he kept going on rabbit trails. There were points and discussions in that final essay that were noteworthy (various theories of what humans are responsible for and where responsibility comes from), but the great majority of the essay I did not understand.
The other thing is that while Viktor Frankl acknowledges Christianity as a meaningful religion, it sometimes feels as though he subtly dismisses it as merely a "helpful illusion" that people believe in that gives them meaning, and that was sad to see.
It's hard to recommend this book when I didn't understand the last part of it well enough to know if I agree with it--however, the other essays were definitely worth reading if you found Man's Search for Meaning hard to read. I think this is a shorter book, but it is packed full of helpful ideas to think about.
At least one of the chapters was an interview layout which I enjoyed reading as well.
The last essay completely lost me; I had no idea what he was talking about, he kept using phrases such as "socialism" and "Marxism" but I didn't understand what angle he was taking, whether he was speaking of them neutrally, positively, or negatively. It was this last essay that felt as though he were speaking with the assumption that his audience agreed with certain unspoken statements, and then building off of those things and discussing implications of them, when I didn't even know what those unspoken statements were. Of course I know what socialism and Marxism are, but people can use those words to talk about anything. When someone starts talking about them without any context or definition of their own, the words quickly lose their meaning, and I had no idea what he was talking about--and then he kept going on rabbit trails. There were points and discussions in that final essay that were noteworthy (various theories of what humans are responsible for and where responsibility comes from), but the great majority of the essay I did not understand.
The other thing is that while Viktor Frankl acknowledges Christianity as a meaningful religion, it sometimes feels as though he subtly dismisses it as merely a "helpful illusion" that people believe in that gives them meaning, and that was sad to see.
It's hard to recommend this book when I didn't understand the last part of it well enough to know if I agree with it--however, the other essays were definitely worth reading if you found Man's Search for Meaning hard to read. I think this is a shorter book, but it is packed full of helpful ideas to think about.
January 13, 2025
I came across this book in my local library when I was with my daughter who was looking for books related to psychology. I was curious, so I checked it out.
It's a quick book to read. I like reading non-fiction on Sunday, so it was nice to have something different. There's a lot here about existentialism-- the meaning of life. There are words about the ways we choose to think and behave.
I think the following words are interesting:
"Being concerned with oneself or one's own prestige, or one's own happiness, is self-defeating. Forgive my contradicting the American Declaration of Independence, in which you find the phrase 'pursuit of happiness.' I deem that 'pursuit of happiness' is a contradiction in terms, because happiness can never really be pursued. Happiness must ensue; happiness is a side effect, happiness is a by-product and must remain a by-product of meaning fulfillment, of your dedication to a task, a cause greater than yourself, or a person other than yourself." (on page 56)
This book is made up of four separate sections from interviews and lectures. Some of them are more scientific and academic, and so less accessible to the average reader. I think that made this book a little less enjoyable for me, but I still like it.
It's a quick book to read. I like reading non-fiction on Sunday, so it was nice to have something different. There's a lot here about existentialism-- the meaning of life. There are words about the ways we choose to think and behave.
I think the following words are interesting:
"Being concerned with oneself or one's own prestige, or one's own happiness, is self-defeating. Forgive my contradicting the American Declaration of Independence, in which you find the phrase 'pursuit of happiness.' I deem that 'pursuit of happiness' is a contradiction in terms, because happiness can never really be pursued. Happiness must ensue; happiness is a side effect, happiness is a by-product and must remain a by-product of meaning fulfillment, of your dedication to a task, a cause greater than yourself, or a person other than yourself." (on page 56)
This book is made up of four separate sections from interviews and lectures. Some of them are more scientific and academic, and so less accessible to the average reader. I think that made this book a little less enjoyable for me, but I still like it.
September 30, 2024
A few takeaways:
"...people who are not clinically neurotic can be collectively neurotic. We can see the countercheck in the results of psychiatric examinations that were performed on the accused in the war crimes trials, and which concluded that these people were clinically healthy.
"Fanaticism tends to politicize fanatical people, whereas exactly the opposite would be needed—not to politicize human beings but to humanize politics. On the other hand, the fanatic acts as though politics is the solution to all problems; but politics cannot be the remedy for everything because it is often itself a symptom of illness. Public opinion takes shape in the form of clichéd catchphrases and slogans. Once thrown into the mass of humanity’’ these catchphrases and slogans trigger a psychological chain reaction."
"...people who are not clinically neurotic can be collectively neurotic. We can see the countercheck in the results of psychiatric examinations that were performed on the accused in the war crimes trials, and which concluded that these people were clinically healthy.
"Fanaticism tends to politicize fanatical people, whereas exactly the opposite would be needed—not to politicize human beings but to humanize politics. On the other hand, the fanatic acts as though politics is the solution to all problems; but politics cannot be the remedy for everything because it is often itself a symptom of illness. Public opinion takes shape in the form of clichéd catchphrases and slogans. Once thrown into the mass of humanity’’ these catchphrases and slogans trigger a psychological chain reaction."
November 3, 2024
I recommend you read "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl.
“So we can find meaning in three ways, through work, love, and potentially in suffering. But only in suffering if need be.”
“What is important is the sense of personal responsibleness, the feeling that I am responsible for what I am putting into the past – and then, after I have succeeded in so doing, nobody can undo what I have done.”
“So we can find meaning in three ways, through work, love, and potentially in suffering. But only in suffering if need be.”
“What is important is the sense of personal responsibleness, the feeling that I am responsible for what I am putting into the past – and then, after I have succeeded in so doing, nobody can undo what I have done.”
February 13, 2025
I enjoyed this book quite a lot. It has 4 different stories/interviews with Frankl that had not been published in his other books, as far as I am aware.
It talks about the meaning of life from a psychologist's perspective who tried to restore it in people during the last century. I find this concept and the reality of his life in the concentration camp and beyond it rather interesting.
4/5
It talks about the meaning of life from a psychologist's perspective who tried to restore it in people during the last century. I find this concept and the reality of his life in the concentration camp and beyond it rather interesting.
4/5
October 20, 2025
I felt language is tough for initial few pages book is compilation of interviews and talks given by victor Frankl, given its very old book the language used is relevant those times not currently used, but if you endure it through for few pages, there are valuable lessons which shape and shift your attitude in embracing the life and transcend it in fulfilling all potentialities applicable to individual
November 14, 2024
3.0
Man’s Search For Meaning is a book that sticks with me even after almost 25 years. So I was looking forward to this one. The book is compiled of 4 essays, but the last essay is what dragged down my overall rating. It was so dense and honestly, made *me* feel a little dense as I found myself rereading paragraphs and just not really grasping much of it.
Man’s Search For Meaning is a book that sticks with me even after almost 25 years. So I was looking forward to this one. The book is compiled of 4 essays, but the last essay is what dragged down my overall rating. It was so dense and honestly, made *me* feel a little dense as I found myself rereading paragraphs and just not really grasping much of it.
November 24, 2024
Probably closer to a 3.5 rating for me. I really enjoyed the first two chapters. They were helpful and provided a good perspective on things. I agree with other reviews that there was a lot more psychology jargon than I’d expected. I’m glad I read this collection of some of his lectures and interviews.
February 6, 2025
I enjoyed reading this collection of interviews, speeches, & articles, particularly the first 3 selections. I think reflection on meaning making in an uncertain world is a necessary message for this anxious moment, and I'll cop to taking inspiration. However, after reading Frankl's wiki...the waters are definitely muddied. Additional reading required before I can recommend.
February 9, 2025
The three stars rating is not as much to do with the content, which I think is highly valuable for progressively more individualist and alienated society, but rather due to the significant overlap of content with the epilogue of his well known "Man's search of meaning". For those with interest in getting to know Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy l, I would suggest to read the other first.
February 16, 2025
Viktor siempre encuentra la forma de salir adelante en situaciones negativas y este libro no fue la excepción. Conceptos antiguos relacionados al sentido de la vida que se adaptan de manera brillante a escenarios actuales y consejos precisos para cómo sobrellevar estas responsabilidades que tenemos en la vida
February 26, 2025
This functions like an elucidation of the second part of Man’s Search for Meaning.
Highlights:
-Delineating the roles of the psychiatrist and the theologian
-“Crabbing”
-The metaphor of the eye
-The black hole/stage metaphor
-Community vs. Collective
-The Existential Vacuum as a precursor to the rise in anxiety (this argument is like a prologue to Haidt’s arguments in The Anxious Generation)
Highlights:
-Delineating the roles of the psychiatrist and the theologian
-“Crabbing”
-The metaphor of the eye
-The black hole/stage metaphor
-Community vs. Collective
-The Existential Vacuum as a precursor to the rise in anxiety (this argument is like a prologue to Haidt’s arguments in The Anxious Generation)
November 26, 2024
Frankl does not disappoint. a collection of some of his most prolific thoughts and ideas, this book truly made me ponder my meaning in life and where I derive it from. A clinical reminder of how much I have and have to offer.
December 6, 2024
This book had a lot of good information. In order for humans to succeed, our lives need meaning. We need a purpose. The beginning of the book conveyed how we can thrive once we have a reason. Some of the words and sentences were over ny head, but overall, a good read. #GoodreadsGiveaway
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