The book is divided into four parts. In the first, Marrone relates basic concepts from John Bowlby's seminal work to recent developments in attachment theory and research. The second part is an exploration of the relationship between attachment theory and contemporary psychoanalytic ideas, and part three discusses the clinical application of attachment theory to individual and group analysis, including a critique of latrogenic interventions. In the fourth part Nicola Diamond looks at the way John Bowlby's position conflicted with the psychoanalytic orthodoxy of his time. She further examines controversial issues raised by Bowlby's work, suggesting that in order to appreciate fully his contribution, a rethinking of philosophical premises is required.