SHSU Common Reader 2024: Callings

This seminal book, which has been called "one of the outstanding contributions to psychological thought" by Carl Rogers and "one of the great books of our time" by Harold Kushner, has been translated into more than fifty languages and sold over sixteen million copies. "An enduring work of survival literature," according to The New York Times, Viktor Frankl's riveting account of his time in the Nazi concentration camps, and his insightful exploration of the human will to find meaning in spite of the worst adversity, has offered solace and guidance to generations of readers since it was first published in 1946.

At the heart of Frankl's theory of logotherapy (from the Greek word for "meaning") is a conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but rather the discovery and pursuit of what the individual finds meaningful. Today, as new generations face new challenges and an ever more complex and uncertain world, Frankl's classic work continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very act of living, in spite of all obstacles.

Studs Terkel records the voices of America.

Men and women from every walk of life talk to him, telling him of their likes and dislikes, fears, problems, and happinesses on the job. Once again, Terkel has created a rich and unique document that is as simple as conversation, but as subtle and heartfelt as the meaning of our lives.

Comics impresario Harvey Pekar brings to vivid life Terkel's bestselling masterpiece, with comics by America's leading illustrators.

Ever since Pulitzer Prize winner Studs Terkel's Working first documented American workers' hopes and dreams, that "deep penetration of American thought and feeling" (Los Angeles Times) has sold over a million copies, captivating readers with accounts of how their fellow citizens make a living. A masterpiece of words, Working is now adapted into comic-book form by Harvey Pekar, the blue-collar antihero of his American Book Award-winning comics series American Splendor. Brilliantly scripting and arranging Terkel's interviews, Pekar collaborates with established comics veterans and some of the comic underground's brightest new talent, selected by editor Paul Buhle. Readers will find a visual palette of influences from Mexican, African American, superhero, and feminist art, each piece an electric melding of artist and subject. This is a book that will both delight Terkel fans and introduce his work to a whole new audience—a fitting tribute to an American legend.

Larry Cochran examines the meaning of a sense of vocation as it is lived over the course of a life.

By studying more than twenty autobiographies of people who clearly had a mission in life, the author identifies commonalities and weaves them into a general story or plot. The common story involves a detailed description of four phases of life from childhood through old age. It illustrates how a significant form that unifies desire arises in youth, how individuals transform themselves to adopt a meaningful role in a drama, how a work of life develops, and how a sense of vocation culminates. Thus, the book is important as a descriptive answer to the question of what makes life meaningful. It provides a paradigm case of career at its best.