Childhood autism is a fascinating and disturbing disorder that has given rise to contentious debates, which often end in impasse. Author Denys Ribas reviews this enigmatic condition, focusing on the work of Hans Asperger, which paved the way for institutional care and has wider importance than has often been recognized, and on testimonies provided by former sufferers from autism, and on the analytic psychotherapy of a child. Ribas examines all the theories under discussion today, including developments in genetics and the access to symbolization, and instigates a constructive debate between...