Abstract In 1967, the publication of John Ramsay's book, Folding and Fracturing of Rocks , was a landmark event that affected both of us, inspiring us into careers in structural geology. At that time, one of us was a postgraduate student at Imperial College, London, the other a second-year undergraduate at Manchester University. It is hard to convey, 50 years on, how precious this book was then. The true and lasting value is how this book has changed individuals, and influenced the teaching and research in structural geology, in Britain and around the world. In our view, Folding and Fracturing of Rocks marks the birth of modern structural geology.