From birth, when babies' fingers instinctively cling to those of adults, their bodies and brains seek an intimate connection--a bond made possible by empathy , the remarkable ability to love and to share the feelings of others. In this unforgettable book, award-winning science journalist Maia Szalavitz and renowned child-psychiatrist Bruce D. Perry explain how empathy develops, why it is essential both to human happiness and for a functional society, and how it is threatened in a modern world.