Why people recommend it
Yes to Life by Viktor E. Frankl is a collection of previously undiscovered lectures by the renowned psychiatrist, focusing on finding purpose, dignity, and tragic optimism in the face of overwhelming adversity. Arthur Brooks and Ryan Holiday passionately recommended the work on The Daily Stoic, highlighting that the book emerged during the pandemic from lost archives and features an introduction by Daniel Goleman. Brooks and Holiday emphasized the profound resonance of the title and its subtitle, explaining that Frankl's message urges individuals to say yes to existence in spite of everything, offering a vital alternative to standard, uncritical Western optimism. Brad Stulberg also discussed the publication on the podcast, noting how essential Frankl's concept of tragic optimism remains for accepting the inevitable tragedies of human life without losing hope. Across these episodes, speakers returned to Frankl's post-concentration camp writings to illustrate resilience, framing the book as an indispensable guide for maintaining inner freedom and meaning during turbulent historical and personal moments.
Who recommended it
- Ryan Holiday Recommended
- Arthur Brooks Recommended
- Brad Stulberg Discussed
Ryan Holiday — 5 mentions
“during the pandemic uh they they put out an addition they found this sort of lost work of Victor Frankle and Daniel Goldman wrote the the intro but it's called yes to life”
“they just published this new edition of some of the writings of victor frankl yeah and it's called um yes to life right and the subtitle is in spite of everything”
“They found a bunch of lectures that he gave that were lost totally to time. And Daniel Goleman wrote the intro … but it just came out this year. It's called Yes to Life. It's like so good.”
“And Daniel Goleman wrote the intro, but it just came out this year, it's called Yes to Life. It's like so good, so good.”
“there's a new victor frankel like a series like a lost set of his lectures called yeah the title to me is amazing it's yes to life the subtitle is in spite of everything”
Arthur Brooks — 2 mentions
“but then during the pandemic uh they they put out an addition they found this sort of lost work of Victor Frankle and Daniel Goldman wrote the the intro but it's called yes to life and it's a like a series of lectures and some letters I hav't read it's it's in the book s I'm going to give it”
“so he's saying so the the amazing part of this book and I recommend it to everyone it's called yes to life and then the subtitle is in spite of everything so he's saying yes continue in spite of all of it not yes to life”
Brad Stulberg — 2 mentions
“and he he has a book yes to life that I think is really um like a b important in spite of everything”
“And he has a book, Yes to Life, that I think is really important, in spite of everything. And I think that this kind of tragic optimism is just so different from what we in the West are fed, which is just optimism without any acceptance of the tragedy.”