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How to Read Minds: The Science and Art of Empathy
'A beautifully observed exploration of what it really means to understand another person' EMMA REED TURRELL
'Sharp, funny and brilliant – a book that needed to be written' DR CAMILLA PANG
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What is true empathy?
The classic stereotype of autistic people is that they can’t empathise, that they’re highly intellectual but find it difficult to connect. As an autistic psychotherapist who empathises for a living, Aimee Cliff knew that this wasn’t right. Empathy is something you do, not something you are – meaning it’s something we can all get better at, if we choose to practise.
Drawing on the latest scientific research, her clinical experience and interviews with a wide range of neurodivergent people, Cliff examines how empathy works in the brain and body, and lays out five pillars that allow anyone to practise empathy. She finds that empathy is humble, empathy is embodied, empathy is amoral, empathy is radical, and empathy is work.
How to Read Minds offers a new idea of empathy with a more radical and expansive definition. For real empathy fights against constrictive stereotypes and dares to imagine something new. It has the potential to connect and liberate humans across our differences.
This wise, humane and quietly life-changing book considers how to understand each other, how to care for and love each other, in a timeless examination of questions that affect us all.
'Sharp, funny and brilliant – a book that needed to be written' DR CAMILLA PANG
________________________________
What is true empathy?
The classic stereotype of autistic people is that they can’t empathise, that they’re highly intellectual but find it difficult to connect. As an autistic psychotherapist who empathises for a living, Aimee Cliff knew that this wasn’t right. Empathy is something you do, not something you are – meaning it’s something we can all get better at, if we choose to practise.
Drawing on the latest scientific research, her clinical experience and interviews with a wide range of neurodivergent people, Cliff examines how empathy works in the brain and body, and lays out five pillars that allow anyone to practise empathy. She finds that empathy is humble, empathy is embodied, empathy is amoral, empathy is radical, and empathy is work.
How to Read Minds offers a new idea of empathy with a more radical and expansive definition. For real empathy fights against constrictive stereotypes and dares to imagine something new. It has the potential to connect and liberate humans across our differences.
This wise, humane and quietly life-changing book considers how to understand each other, how to care for and love each other, in a timeless examination of questions that affect us all.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 15, 2026
This is the first non-fiction book I read in 2026, and it is about psychology. It is a good book that teaches us how to understand other people’s thoughts and feelings with empathy, which is not something everyone can do.
Today, the world is becoming more modern, but it feels like empathy is becoming less common. Maybe people are not taught enough about empathy, or maybe many people are too focused on themselves.
After reading this book, I learned that empathy and sympathy are not the same. They may look similar, but they are different. Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone. Empathy is trying to understand how someone feels by putting yourself in their situation. It is about connecting with them, listening to them, and being there for them when they need support.
One thing I learned is that when someone shares their feelings, there are things we should do and things we should avoid. This helps the person feel comfortable, understood, and safe with us.
We should listen carefully, avoid interrupting, keep an open mind, show interest in their point of view, and use friendly body language. We should not judge them, compare their problems with other people’s problems, talk about our own problems instead, interrupt them before they finish speaking, or make them uncomfortable with our actions or expressions. Most importantly, we should try to see the situation from their side.
Empathy is not something that comes naturally to everyone. We need to learn it, practise it, and make an effort to understand others better. This book is a good reminder that empathy can help us build stronger and kinder relationships with the people around us.
Today, the world is becoming more modern, but it feels like empathy is becoming less common. Maybe people are not taught enough about empathy, or maybe many people are too focused on themselves.
After reading this book, I learned that empathy and sympathy are not the same. They may look similar, but they are different. Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone. Empathy is trying to understand how someone feels by putting yourself in their situation. It is about connecting with them, listening to them, and being there for them when they need support.
One thing I learned is that when someone shares their feelings, there are things we should do and things we should avoid. This helps the person feel comfortable, understood, and safe with us.
We should listen carefully, avoid interrupting, keep an open mind, show interest in their point of view, and use friendly body language. We should not judge them, compare their problems with other people’s problems, talk about our own problems instead, interrupt them before they finish speaking, or make them uncomfortable with our actions or expressions. Most importantly, we should try to see the situation from their side.
Empathy is not something that comes naturally to everyone. We need to learn it, practise it, and make an effort to understand others better. This book is a good reminder that empathy can help us build stronger and kinder relationships with the people around us.
April 11, 2026
Amazing book on empathy especially in the neurodivergent people. Written by therapist from a similar background, an informative and vital read by those in the mental health field and those interested in learning about empathy.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews