Although it is a very short book, Man's Search for Meaning is perhaps one of the most significant and impactful works of nonfiction published in the relatively recent past. The first portion of the book chronicles Frankl's experiences in Auschwitz and the daily life of prisoners. The second part of the book, details how he -- and other prisoners -- spiritually and psychologically survived such a violet and heinous ordeal and introduces Frankl's feelings on meaning and logotherapy.
Frankl attributes his survival in the camps to his mindset. He thought that how people viewed their future affected their longevity. In other words, if they thought that they would die soon, they would die soon; if they thought they would live a long time, they would live longer. This provided the information necessary for Frankl to create something called logotherapy, which says that the primary motivation of a person is to find meaning in their life.
Ultimately, though, Man's Search for Meaning aims to answer a singular question: "How was everyday life in a concentration camp reflected in the mind of the average prisoner?" Not only was it triumphantly successful in answering this question, it was successful critically and financially. A survey conducted by The Library of Congress found that it is part of the ten-most influential books in the United States. As of 1997, the book has sold over 10 million copies and has been translated into 24 different languages (after originally being written in German). To this day the book is a best seller on Amazon.
