Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007), one of the most influential composers of modern times, was a pioneer in the fields of electronic, multi-orchestral, and meditative music. His body of work represents the quintessence of musical achievement in the 20th and early 21st centuries, as well as the historical culmination of the evolution of global musical culture in its classical sense. We can trace the development of Stockhausen’s ideas and hear his living voice thanks to Robin Maconie—a New Zealand composer, pianist, and musicologist—who transcribed recordings of the German genius’s lectures and interviews. Despite maintaining a critical perspective, Maconie conveys in the book the deep love and respect he felt for Stockhausen, with whom he had the opportunity to interact and work personally. It is precisely through this friendly lens that the reader can navigate the labyrinth of this great musical innovator’s creative process and glimpse the real Stockhausen—with all his virtues, flaws, weaknesses, and moments of insight—as a living, breathing human being and a contemporary of our own time.