Viktor Frankl-Recollections

The renowned Viennese psychiatrist and author (Man's Search for Meaning) reveals the warmly human side of a life that has contributed so much to the evolution of psychiatric science. Early on, Frankl introduces the notion that his character is defined by the split between ""rationality and deep emotion,"" which also are the poles that contain and shape his book. Born in 1905 in Vienna, Frankl began attending evening classes in applied psychology as a teenager. He entered into a correspondence with Freud and published his first psychoanalytical paper at age 19. By 1929, Frankl had developed his theory of ""logotherapy,"" which ""attempts to offer solutions to human concerns as they exist in the moment."" But this auspicious professional beginning was but one aspect of an early life channeled equally by his intense relationships with his parents and his first wife. During WWII, Frankl lost his wife and his immediate family and was himself incarcerated in four concentration camps. Guided by his philosophical belief in gathering meaning from the moment, however painful, he triumphed over the hell of the camps and went on to rebuild his professional and personal life in postwar Vienna. In clearly written prose that is at times surprisingly humorous, Frankl presents his scientific ideas alongside his passion for wide-ranging interests including climbing mountains and drawing cartoons. This is an inspiring book by a remarkable man who obviously practices what he preaches. Photos. (May)