DYSLEXIA IS DEFINED AS A FORM OF VERBAL AMNESIA IN WHICH THE PATIENT HAS LOST THE MEMORY OF THE CONVENTIONAL MEANING OF GRAPHIC SYMBOLS. DEVELOPMENTAL DYSLEXIA HAS LONG BEEN THE SUBJECT OF PROFESSIONAL DISPUTES IN MEDICINE, EDUCATION, AND PSYCHOLOGY. THE BOOK TRACES THE GROWTH OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT DYSLEXIA AND DESCRIBES CONFLICTING IDEAS AS TO NATURE AND CAUSATION. A CHAPTER TRACING HISTORY AND TERMINOLOGY IS FOLLOWED BY CHAPTERS DEALING WITH CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS (DEVELOPMENTAL DYSLEXIA AS A CONSTITUTIONAL GENETICALLY DETERMINED PHENOMENON), DIAGNOSIS, OPTHALMOLOGICAL ASPECTS, NEUROLOGICAL ASPECTS, AND GENETIC PROPERTIES. ESTIMATING THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE DYSLEXICS ARE SOMETIMES LOST IN THE GENERAL POPULATION OF POOR READERS. THE PROBLEM (ESTIMATED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD FROM 5 PERCENT TO 25 PERCENT OF SCHOOL CHILDREN) IS CONSIDERED GREAT ENOUGH TO MERIT SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL ATTENTION. FINAL CHAPTERS DEAL WITH PSYCHIATRIC REACTIONS OF THE DYSLEXIC, CEREBRAL IMMATURITY AS A POSSIBLE CAUSATIVE FACTOR, AND EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS. IN THE AUTHOR'S OPINION, THE DYSLEXIC, PROPERLY MOTIVATED, WILL BENEFIT FROM INTENSIVE TRAINING IN A SPECIAL EDUCATION SETTING. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 377 ITEMS IS INCLUDED. THIS DOCUMENT WAS PUBLISHED BY CHARLES C THOMAS, PUBLISHER, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, $5.50. (JB)