#BookReview

There are many self-help books and then there is this little gem of a book. Isn’t the title absolutely captivating? We all go through the phase of existential crisis at least once in our lifetime. We all wonder what is the purpose of our lives? While some of us, have it all figured out, there are some of us who still wonder what’s the true meaning of life? And, if we do not have a hand to guide us in the right direction, then the search never seems to end. I am thankful that I found this life-changing book at just the right time when I had no clue as to where I was heading in my life. I randomly picked this book during a bus journey while I was stuck in traffic and I am certain I couldn’t have picked a better book.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

“It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life—daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.”

In this book, Viktor E. Frankl also talks about the concept of Logotherapy which is based on existential analysis. He explains how one can always find a purpose in life even when the circumstances are miserable.

“For in every case man retains the freedom and the possibility of deciding for or against the influence of his surroundings.”

Man’s Search for Meaning, is one incredible book and is a must-read. This book can help us feel good about ourselves and appreciate life better. It teaches us how we need to be thankful of what we have and make the most of our freedom. In the end, what truly matters is for us to never give up on love and hope.