Julia Morgan, America's first truly independent female architect, left a legacy of more than 700 buildings, many of which are now designated landmarks, in cities throughout California, as well as in Hawaii, Utah, and Illinois. Her work spanned five decades, and the total of her commissions was greater than any other major American architect, including Frank Lloyd Wright. This book tells the remarkable story of this architectural pioneer, and features text, drawings, and photographs of the many buildings that still exist.

Mark Wilson has been writing and teaching about Julia Morgan's work for more than thirty years. He is an architectural historian who has written two previous books about Bay Area architecture and was a lecturer for the National Trust's Historic Real Estate Program. He holds a B.A. in history and an M.A. in history and media. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, and more. He lives in Berkeley, California.