Who is Edith Eva Eger

Edith Eva Eger is a psychologist and Auschwitz survivor whom Abrams references several times throughout his book. Interestingly, he does not quote any of her work in the field of psychology, but rather, he quotes her observations about human emotion that she experienced in the concentration camp. First, she noticed that "the spoiled, pampered children were the first to die at Auschwitz," presumably because, "they had not learned how to save themselves" (146). Abrams presents this as evidence that suffering and adversity lead to a stronger and more warmhearted mental state. Her experience at Auschwitz taught her, as she often tried to teach others, that "our perspective toward life is our final and ultimate freedom," meaning that even in times of tremendous difficulty, one's ability to be happy is entirely up to oneself (195). This teaching adheres to many of the Archbishop and Dalai Lama's own teachings that lasting happiness is an intrinsic quality.