C. Miller Fisher’s aphorism, that one learns neurology “stroke by stroke,” is probably all too familiar to most neurologists by now, but it is more than just a clever quote. If an aphorism is, in Karl Kraus’s words, either a half-truth or a truth and a half, then it certainly errs on the side of the latter. Historically, clinicopathologic observations of stroke-related brain lesions and the loss of function of the affected areas were the main source of information on the normal function of these areas. Even in the current era of abundantly available diagnostic imaging, diagnosis and anatomic localization of stroke symptoms and syndromes remain critical, and they can be an excellent window into clinical neuroanatomy for medical students and neurology residents. Acute stroke management and secondary prevention have been revolutionized during the past two decades, which makes stroke a lot more exciting and complex than a simple exercise in applied neuroanatomy.