Drawing on original documentation - sketches, photographs and the iconic axonometrics - the book explores the creative process of James Stirling: from the early inspirations of Liverpool's docks to his devotion to Le Corbusier, acknowledging the fundamental role of the partnerships with James Gowan and Michael Wilford. Described by his mentor Colin Rowe as an architectural connoisseur, Stirling analyses the past through relentless observational skills and elaborates it as a source of creativity and as a context to respect. The most eccentric British architect leaves a legacy that is not confined to history alone, but it continues to be paradigmatic for generations of architects to come.