St. John’s Church Field Hall will play host to a discussion about Viktor Frankl's book "Man's Search for Meaning," on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

Mr. Frankl endured extreme hunger, cold and brutality, first in Auschwitz then Dachau, and was under constant threat of going to the gas ovens. He lost every physical belonging on his first day in the camps, and was forced to surrender a scientific manuscript he considered his life’s work.

Yet despite the experiences, Mr. Frankl emerged as an optimist. His reasoning was that even in the most terrible circumstances, a person still has the freedom to choose how they see their circumstances and create meaning out of them.

The discussion will run from 6 to 8 p.m., and people are encouraged to bring a sandwich and beverage. Child care will be provided.

His book is available at Barrington Books and Amazon.com.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story erroneously stated that Mr. Frankl would be on hand to discuss the book. Mr. Frankl died in 1997. We regret any inconvenience this mistake may have caused.