Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (20th Anniversary Edition)

Author Viktor Frankl · Publisher Cheong-ah Publishing House · Published 2026-01-02 · ISBN 9788936812621

About the Book

A message we need today

Based on Dr. Viktor Frankl's autobiographical experiences, "Man's Search for Meaning" is a work that explores the meaning of human existence and the purpose of life amidst extreme hardships. Part 1, "Experiences in a Concentration Camp," and Part 2, "What is Logotherapy?", explain Frankl's experiences in a Nazi concentration camp and the basic concepts of Logotherapy, which he developed through those experiences. Part 3, "Optimism in the Face of Tragedy," describes practical application techniques.
In this book, Dr. Frankl first recounts his personal experience of losing his family in a concentration camp and surviving through death and despair. In an extreme situation, he confronts fundamental questions of human existence beyond physical survival: "How can one find meaning in life in such circumstances?"
Dr. Frankl emphasizes that the answer to this question lies in "the freedom to choose one's attitude." While all material and social freedoms were taken away in the camp, the freedom to choose how to react remained, and through these trials, he was able to find meaning and achieve inner growth. He asserts that humans do not merely seek survival but also seek meaning even in suffering.
Thus, Dr. Frankl's story is not merely a record of overcoming hardship. It is proof of hope that life can still be full of meaning even in the midst of despair and the fear of death. In a reality where more and more people feel like a "generation without a future" and suffer from anxiety, depression, and helplessness, Dr. Frankl's experiences and logotherapy resonate with us even more profoundly. Through this book, we can realize that we can find meaning in life even in suffering, and that everyone has the will and freedom to pursue meaning.

Logotherapy Techniques and the Human Will

The logotherapy treatment method created by Dr. Viktor Frankl is also known as the "Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy" and emphasizes the meaning of human existence and the will to pursue meaning. This means helping patients focus on the meaning they must achieve in their future, recognize the meaning of life, and move in that direction. Through this, patients can develop the ability to overcome mental difficulties. Unlike Freud's pursuit of pleasure or Adler's pursuit of power, Frankl argued that the "will to find meaning" is the most important and fundamental driving force for human life, and logotherapy techniques are now being used in therapeutic settings around the world.
There is no greater evidence of the greatness of the human will than the experiences of someone who has directly suffered and overcome pain and despair. Therefore, this book is both Dr. Frankl's autobiographical record and a book on psychotherapy, and it has also become a classic of the 20th century. It is a book that can provide strength at any moment in our lives.

20th Anniversary Edition Released in 2025

2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the official introduction of Viktor Frankl's book in Korea. To commemorate this, a special 20th-anniversary edition will be published with a new format and design. This commemorative edition, prepared to share Dr. Frankl's profound philosophical message and touching story with readers, will help more readers reflect on the meaning of life and inspire new readers.

※ This book has the same specifications as the "20th Anniversary Edition" but is a popular edition produced with softcover instead of hardcover.

Table of Contents

Preface to the 1984 Edition
Translator's Preface
Recommendation

1. Experiences in a Concentration Camp
The Story of an Ordinary Person in a Concentration Camp
Capos, Another Domination Within Us
A Fierce Arena of Survival Competition
Motivation for Writing This Book
Losing Faith Means Losing the Will to Live
Imprisoned in the Slaughterhouse of Auschwitz
Delusion of Reprieve
The Crossroads of Life and Death
Shattered Illusions and Shock
Indifferent Curiosity
Humans Can Adapt to Any Environment
Despair Rather Postpones Suicide
Do Not Fear the Selection for Death
Disgust
Apathy
Corpse and Soup
Humiliation Worse Than Death
When an Apathetic Prisoner Gets Angry
Small Favors Received from a Capo
The Most Common Dreams of Prisoners
Primal Desire for Food
Dry Emotions
Politics and Religion in the Camp
Humans are Redeemed Through Love, in Love
Engrave Me in Your Heart
The World Can Be So Beautiful
Even in Darkness, There is Light
Art in the Concentration Camp
Humor in the Concentration Camp
Relative Happiness Felt in Small Things
Patient Life Where Relative Happiness Was Felt
Into the Crowd for Survival
My Own Space
People Treated Only as Numbers
A Twist of Fate
Death in Tehran
A Decision That Divides Fate
Last Days in the Camp
Conflicting Fates
Cause of Apathy
Human Spiritual Freedom
Meaning of Suffering
Temporary Life with an Unknown End
Expectation for the Future Evokes the Will to Live
Loss of Faith in the Future Leads to Death
Reason to Live
How Much Suffering Must Be Endured
Efforts to Prevent Suicide
Experience of Group Psychotherapy
Human Types in the Camp
Experience of Liberation
Phenomena After Liberation
Anguish and Disillusionment

2. What is Logotherapy
Basic Concepts of Logotherapy
The Will to Find Meaning
Existential Frustration
Noogenic Neurosis
Dynamics of the Psyche
Existential Vacuum
Meaning of Life
Essence of Existence
Meaning of Love
Meaning of Suffering
Problems Beyond Clinical Practice
Logodrama
Super-Meaning
Uniqueness of Life
Logotherapy as a Technique
Collective Neurosis
Critique of Pan-Determinism
Creed of a Psychiatrist
Psychiatry with a Human Face

3. Optimism in the Face of Tragedy
Optimism in the Face of Tragedy

References on Logotherapy