Donald Meltzer was a distinguished psychoanalyst and one of Klein's most productive and prominent analysands. He was a very influential teacher internationally and an extraordinary practitioner and theorist as well. He codified Kleinian technique, was innovative in the treatment of autistic children, and was the foremost metapsychologist for Klein's and Bion's works. Of his many outstanding contributions, The Apprehension of Beauty, which he co-authored with Meg Harris Williams, heralded a new age in psychoanalysis by providing its aesthetic perspective in relation to that of infant development.

Donald Meltzer was one of the most original, innovative and inspired post-Kleinian psychoanalysts. His thinking, theorizing, writings, supervision and teaching inspired whole generations of child psychotherapists and others at the Tavistock Clinic and elsewhere all over the world over many years. This sample of his writings will contribute to keeping his ideas alive and ensure his massive contribution to child and adult psychoanalysis will continue to inspire future generations of psychotherapists and analysts.'
Donald Meltzer was one of the few genuinely original minds within the psychoanalytic community. His approach can inspire trainees, while his theoretical insights continue to enrich the most experienced practitioners. For those yet unacquainted with his work, this Reader provides an ideal introduction. It also shows why Meltzer's contributions offer such fertile connections with allied fields, such as education, religion and art.