The Meaning Of Life: Reflections in Words and Pictures on Why We Are Here

by David Friend, LIFE

300 famous, infamous and obscure people ponder the mystery of life and its meaning.

Genres: Philosophy, Photography, History, Nonfiction, Science

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1991

About the author

David Friend is an editor, author, and award-winning documentary producer with a career spanning journalism, photography, and film. Since 1998, he has been the editor of creative development at Vanity Fair, following his tenure as Life magazine’s director of photography. His work has shaped major journalistic projects, including the 2005 Vanity Fair story that revealed FBI insider Mark Felt as “Deep Throat,” the confidential Watergate source. He also played a key role in expanding Vanity Fair into books, e-books, television, and digital media, launching VanityFair.com.
As an author, Friend has explored cultural and historical themes in books such as Watching the World Change: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11 (2006), The Naughty Nineties (2017), and two volumes on human existence, The Meaning of Life and More Reflections on the Meaning of Life. In the realm of documentary film, he is an Emmy- and Peabody-winning producer, with projects including Lakota Nation vs. United States (2023), MLK/FBI (2021), and the widely broadcast CBS prime-time special 9/11.
Beyond journalism and film, Friend has covered conflicts in Afghanistan, Lebanon, and the Middle East, coedited 13 Vanity Fair books, and curated photography exhibitions on three continents. His poetry has been published in The New Yorker, further highlighting the breadth of his creative work.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had to choose my greatest discovery of 2013, it would be the website brainpickings.org. If you are interested in art, creativity, design, writing, philosophy, science, or wisdom about life--it's a treasure. She mentioned this book in a post, once, and it made its out-of-print way to the top of my Xmas wishlist. It's profoundly good.

[Prem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this book from a library book sale immediately seeing the title (how ironic it for a book created by LIFE magazine) & the cover image for 2$. The cover image by Ken Heyman of a grandpa kissing his grand daughter which is seen by the grandma & other grand daughter in her lap giggling. One photo to depict the theme of the book. The book consists of observation/words from 173 poets, scientists, artists, philosophers and common people in no more than 250 words. Then there are 127 B/W photos by world renowned photographers on the same topic. B/W somehow transpire the true colors of life in these photos in my humble opinion.

Some pages have photos & text closely resembling the image's content, pages with only text & then pages with only photo. This flow has been edited & presented in a thoughtful manner. Sometimes I felt that the text from common people are far more easy to comprehend, simple enough the represent the meaning of life rather than the insights of famous people :)

Most common response related to compassion, helping people in need & under-privileged people or being/enjoying the now moment or about God as the omnipresent being and having faith in him. Overall all good feel-good book to glance now & then when in doubt about purpose of life. I have a selection of photos, text as favorite & will post them in a blog and share it here.

Photos I liked:
1. Ken Heyman - Sicily
2. Alfred Eisenstaedt - Puppet show, "The Dragon is slain"
3. Grey Villet - Faith
4. Vsevolod Tarasevish - the Golden Kiss, Siberia
5. Arthur Tress - Mosque in Agra, India
6. Harry Shunk - Leap into the void
7.Don McCullin - Turkish woman Crying over her dead husband, Cyprus
8. Robert Halmi - Mutual Curisoty, American boy and Masai girl
9. Marc Riboud - Family photography in front of the Buddha of Kamakura, Japan
10. Adger Cowans - Untitled
11. Francis Miller - World series fans, Chicago
12. Michael O'Neill - Early Man
13. Abraham Manashe - Untitled
14. Grace Robertson - Mothers' day off
15. Lynn Glodsmith - Retiro Park, Madrid
16. Louise Asher - Dorothy
17. David Muench - Eagle Creek, Columbia river gorge, Mount Hood National Forest
18. Joe McNally - First Dip
19. Arthur Schatz - sensitivity awareness, Esalen, Big Sur, California
20. Co Rentmeester - My youth
21. W. Eugene Smith - Burned U.S. officer in Philippine Church converted into hospital, World War II
22. Cornell Capa - Generation gap
23. Hiroji Kubota - Fishing with cormorants, Guilin, China
24. Sebastiao Salgado - In the gold mine of Serra Pelada, Brazil
25. Harald Sund - Journey of future
26. Frank Fournier - AIDS victim being comforted y friend, New York city
27. Kurt Markus - Greg Louganis
28. Geoffrey Biddle - 207 East fifth street
29. Robert Doisneau - Baiser De'l Hotel De Ville
30. Anonymous/U.S. Army - American PoWs freed from German prison camp, WW II
31. Leonard Freed, Harlem summer day

Words I liked:
* Not by duration of life but by the donation
* It always comes to Truth, Beauty & Love
* Life is fullest when I try new things
* Life is playfulness
* Meaning of living is mastering the art of waiting
* Happy-go-lucky doom-and-gloomer
* In doing your best, to enjoy, experience, provide, create, share, accomplish a lot and make a difference while you are here
* It's a short walk from womb to the tomb
* To taste the wonder of every moment
* To make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change
* To carry the spirit of the child into old age is the secret of genius
* We are here to feel the joy of life pulsing in us - now.
* Why are we born was a really hard paper to write. At first for a long time I couldn't think of anything to say. I think God made us each born for a different reason. He doesn't want us to do the same things so that's why he makes us all so different. If God gives you a great voice maybe he wants you to sing. Or else if God wants you to be a farmer he might give you to a family that lives on a farm so you get used to the animals and your not afraid of them. And maybe if God makes you grow to be 7 feet tall maybe he wants you to play for the Lakers or the Celtics.
When my friend Kim died from her cansur I asked my Mom if God was going to make Kim die when she was only 6 why did he make her born at all. But my Mom said even though she was only 6 she changed people's lifes. What that means is like her brother or sister could be the sionist that discovers the cure for cansur and they decided to do that because of Kim. Maybe it was because he wanted me to be a dr. who takes care of kids with cansur so when they say "Dr Jason, Sometimes I get scared I'm going to die" or "you don't know how weird it is to be the only kid in your whole school" I can say "Oh yes I do. When I was a little boy I had cansur too. And look at all my hair now. Someday your hair will grow back too." - Jason Gaes - twelve-year-old cancer victim, wrote My Book for Kids with Cansur.

[Trent Marv · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was radically different from what I have read before in that it is more of a reflective piece. I myself don't feel capable of answering the question posed by the book but hearing the answer of others was a very eye opening experience. Not only does it offer a window into the thought of these people but also a time capsule into the 90s when there was a lot more optimism before the events of 9/11 kinda put an end to a hopeful future.
Some of the people here like Richard Nixon and Muhamed Ali are likely familiar to everyone. Others like Stephen Gould I knew about prior but many I did not and frankly I learned a lot of new people thanks to this book. Plus, there are plenty of perspectives from scientists, politicians, religious leaders, and even a taxi driver who sadly doesn't get their picture in. I think while old this book is worth reading if only to expand one's horizons and maybe come up with your own answer what is the Meaning of life.
If I may try to answer it as poorly as I am qualified to do so, I think the Meaning of Life is up to you to decide what it is.

[E. Mikel Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of responses to the age-old inquiry "Why are we here? What, just WHAT, is the meaning of life??" While things gets a little preachy (God made life! Duh! God is the meaning! God god god!!!), it's worth scouring this book to find the responses that speak to you. For instance, I found a deeper respect for anarchy because of this book.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. It didn't all speak to me, but then again how could it? The words and pictures came from people of all walks of life. As much as I try, I can't relate to everyone.

Then again, lots of choice quotes if you really dig in! All but one person tried to give their insight to "the meaning of life" with sincerity and gravity - here's a bit from the one that didn't:

"The very fact that you are reading this book proves that you are just a spineless squid who can't even cross the street without calling up Big Bird." -Judy Tenuta, comedian

Love it. I gave a little sigh of relief to find that the editors of this book weren't too pretentious to take that humorous little jab with grace.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Meaning Of Life: Reflections in Words and Pictures on Why We Are Here (Hardcover)
by David Friend
Given to inspire the photographic friend of the family. The pictures are black and white and color photos that mark many historical and cultural events.

[Shelbybeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely. Made me contemplative every time I read.

[Mat Rueter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some 650 people were approached to come up with the contributions that appear here.

[Mike E.]

We are here because one I have a group of fishes had a peculiar fin anatomy that could transform into legs for terrestrial creatures; because comments struck the earth and wiped out dinosaurs, thereby giving mammals a chance not otherwise available… We may yearn for a "higher" answer – – but none exists. This exclamation, those superficially troubling, if not terrifying, is ultimately liberating and exhilarating. We cannot read the meaning of life passively in the fax of nature. We must construct these answers for ourselves…

Stephen J. Gould