Introduction to Viktor E. Frankl: The Man and His Message Philosopher of Meaning Viktor Emil Frankl was a philosopher of meaning. Even from his childhood days and into his adolescent years, Frankl was concerned with meaning. At the early age of four, he vividly remembered the thought of his own mortality. In his autobiography, he recalled: “... one evening just before falling asleep, I was startled by the unexpected thought that one day I too would have to die. What troubled me then – as it has done throughout my life – was not the fear of dying, but the question of whether the transitory nature of life might destroy its meaning.” Even as a teenager, Frankl was on a quest for meaning, searching for the answer to the question: “What is the meaning of life?” He wrote: “I well remember how I felt when I was exposed to reductionism in education as a junior high school student at the age of thirteen. Once our natural science teacher told us that life in the final analysis was nothing but a combustion process, an oxidation process, I sprang to my feet and said, ‘Professor Fritz, if this is the case, what meaning does life have?’” In 1921, as a high school student at the age of 16, he gave his first public lecture to an adult education school. It was entitled: “The Meaning of Life.” For Frankl, all of life was imbued with meaning, no matter what situation in which one may find oneself, no how well of ill (chronically or terminally ill) one was, no matter where one was along life’s journey, no matter how badly a person may have wrecked his or her life. In all of its various conditions, life still has meaning, as Frankl often said, “... every life, in every situation and to the last breath, has a meaning, retains a meaning.” He was emphatic: “The so-called life not worth living does not exist.” Frankl was an amazing man who had an amazing message to tell men and women in the 20th century. He was an extremely gifted human being: a physician, psychiatrist and philosopher.

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Following World War II, Viktor Frankl revolutionized the field of psychotherapy with the inception of logotherapy. With Logotherapy: Viktor Frankl, Life and Work, Soggie offers a compelling and comprehensive introduction to both the man and his contribution to psychotherapy. Through the examination of Frankl’s life as a boy to his days in a concentration camp and his post-war work, Soggie paints a rich portrait of Frankl and the origins of logotherapy. Complete with in-depth explanations of logotherapy’s key concepts, including dimensionalism, love, responsibility, and freedom of the will, this book serves as a great complement to Frankl’s own works and a valuable resource to practitioners and therapists in training alike.

NEW EDITION, REVISED AND UPDATED World-renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning is one of the most important books of modern times. Frankl’s personal story of finding a reason to live in Nazi concentration camps has inspired millions. In Prisoners of Our Thoughts, Dr. Alex Pattakos—whom Frankl urged to write this book—elaborates seven “core principles” based on Frankl’s philosophy and demonstrates how they can help us find meaning in our everyday lives and work . This second edition features new stories and examples of people who have applied the principles in the book or who exemplify them; new practical exercises and applications; and a new chapter, “The Meaning Difference®,” which summarizes research demonstrating the critical role of meaning in improving the quality of people’s lives, increasing happiness, promoting health and wellness, and achieving their highest potential.

From memoir to journalism, personal essays to cultural criticism, this indispensable anthology brings together works from all genres of creative nonfiction, with pieces by fifty contemporary writers including Cheryl Strayed, David Sedaris, Barbara Kingsolver, and more. Selected by five hundred writers, English professors, and creative writing teachers from across the country, this collection includes only the most highly regarded nonfiction work published since 1970. Contributers include: Jo Ann Beard, Wendell Berry, Eula Biss, Mary Clearman Blew, Charles Bowden, Janet Burroway, Kelly Grey Carlisle, Anne Carson, Bernard Cooper, Michael W. Cox, Annie Dillard, Mark Doty, Brian Doyle, Tony Earley, Anthony Farrington, Harrison Candelaria Fletcher, Diane Glancy, Lucy Grealy, William Harrison, Robin Hemley, Adam Hochschild, Jamaica Kincaid, Barbara Kingsolver , Ted Kooser, Sara Levine, E.J. Levy, Phillip Lopate, Barry Lopez, Thomas Lynch, Lee Martin, Rebecca McCLanahan, Erin McGraw, John McPhee, Brenda Miller, Dinty W. Moore, Kathleen Norris, Naomi Shihab Nye, Lia Purpura, Richard Rhodes, Bill Roorbach, David Sedaris, Richard Selzer, Sue William Silverman, Floyd Skloot, Lauren Slater, Cheryl Strayed, Amy Tan, Ryan Van Meter, David Foster Wallace, and Joy Williams.

“Brian Schmisek weaves together contemporary experience and writings with those of Greco-Roman classical antiquity. What a delight to discover the long arc of the quest for meaning in our beleaguered world. I found it comforting, challenging, and insightful. An interesting read in turbulent times.” —Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS, advocate, former leader of Nuns on the Bus, award-winning author of Hunger for Hope “In Signs, Superstitions, and God’s Plan, Brian Schmisek weaves together scripture, the classics, and modern thought in exploring the ways we have sought to give meaning to our lives, from entrails to religious faith to the stars in the sky. This scholarly but accessible book inspires the reader to consider how events in life unfold, and the meaning of her own life.” —Catherine Wolff, author, Beyond: How Humankind Thinks About Heaven “An indispensable resource for all of us who accompany others in developing the habitus of discernment and decision making, particularly theologians, transformational leaders, pastoral ministers, and educators who engage in reflective practice.” —Faustino M. Cruz; dean and professor of practical theology, Fordham University Graduate School of Religion “In Signs, Superstitions, and God’s Plan, Brian Schmisek displays the full panorama of his rich academic scholarship. With impressive credentials in philosophy, classical studies, and theology, he provides his readers with both wide-ranging examples of common and also some not-so-common human attempts to explain aspects of life on earth that baffle our understanding, frustrate our intentions, and leave us grasping for explanations.” —Frank Lazarus, president emeritus, University of Dallas Brian Schmisek is an award-winning author. He has had a distinguished career in Catholic higher education, most recently as provost and dean of faculties at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. He was also dean at Loyola University Chicago and the University of Dallas.

Now in paperback, a delightful collection of essays on the transformative power of reading In The Book That Changed My Life, our most admired writers, doctors, professors, religious leaders, politicians, chefs, and CEO s share the books that mean the most to them. For Doris Kearns Goodwin it was Barbara Tuchman's The Guns of August, which inspired her to enter a field, history writing, traditionally reserved for men. For Jacques Pépin it was The Myth of Sisyphus, which taught him the importance of personal responsibility, dignity, and goodness in the midst of existentialist France. A testament to the life-altering importance of literature, this book inspires us to return to old favorites and seek out new treasures. All proceeds go to The Read to Grow Foundation, which partners with urban hospitals to provide books and literacy information to newborns and their families.