This is a new, completely revised edition of Uta Frith's groundbreaking 1989 book on autism, which provided the first truly convincing psychological explanation of what happens in the mind of an autistic person. It suggested, specifically, that the key problem in autism is linked to the inability to recognise thoughts and to attribute thoughts to others, and to the failure to connect elements of information into coherent wholes. The result is problems in communicating and in social relations, and lack of flexibility in the complex interactions that normally accompany human development.

The new edition shows how Uta Frith's now-classic explanation has weathered the passing of time. A new chapter summarises recent neuropsychological research and reviews the growing number of neurological works on autism.

The accessible, lively style of the earlier edition has been kept, backed by a wealth of recent information on all the key issues.

• “An indispensable reference, an instant classic.” Oliver Sacks.

• A state-of-the-art account if existing knowledge on autism.

• A radical criticism of some early theories on autism that blamed parenting — and made parents feel guilty.

Uta Frith is a professor at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College, London.