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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
Isaacson obviously loves Leonardo. The book is reverential and effusive. In some sense t reads like the catalogue for an exhibition of all of Leonardo's works, with detailed descriptions of each work and what to look for. Did you know, for example, that one of the Mona Lisa's pupils is slightly smaller than the other? Leonardo's amazing talents ranged from theater production and painting to scientific research and anatomy illustration (as well as dissection). It is a shame that he never published his findings as many of his discoveries weren't rediscovered for hundreds of years. He was very much ahead of his time. Much of the book is culled from Leonardo's notebooks, thousands of pages of them written in "mirror writing." It is an astonishing legacy from an amazing genius.
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Wow! A richly detailed investigation into all of Leonardo's life, not just the paintings with which we're all familiar. Striking how he abandoned a lot of work. If it wasn't for his surviving notebooks, we may never have known the width and breadth of his genius.
Absolutely wonderful. Isaacson brings Leonardo to life in a most intimate way. I thought I had a good appreciation of Leonardo's talents before, but now I have a much greater appreciation of his contributions to so many areas of science and art. The book is lavishly endowed with many illustrations from his art and anatomy illustrations to his contributions to architecture, geology and military engineering.
I’m just 100 pages in and already frustrated. Isaacson repeats himself more than my elderly uncle after his third gin and tonic. Did anyone edit this? I have no more of a feel for who Leonardo was than when I started. It seems that Isaacson just talked to a bunch of art critics who have studied Leonardo and cobbled together random quotes. I guess that’s “research” but it’s dry as dust and hasn’t injected any life into the book. I liked Isaacson’s Benjamin Franklin bio so I’m going to stick with it because many seem to love it but it might be 5 pages a day for the next century.
The best parts are descriptions of the man, rather than his work. Descriptions of the work often are given in excruciating detail. The drawn illustrations are marvelous.
Extremely thorough, sometimes too much so.
The introduction and coda were powerful pieces of prose about what we can learn from Leonardo. The audiobook was narrated deftly by Alfred Molina who was able to fluidly pronounce the Italian parts.
The introduction and coda were powerful pieces of prose about what we can learn from Leonardo. The audiobook was narrated deftly by Alfred Molina who was able to fluidly pronounce the Italian parts.
informative
medium-paced
A very good biography be like Isaacson's others. I think all large works like this suffer from some inevitable repetition and this is no different. It is tough to enjoy as an audiobook because it is helpful, if not necessary, to refer to artworks (which were available in an attached .pdf). I laughed when I caught one typo of carbon-24 rather than carbon-14 dating. Also, although it was very thorough the end felt somewhat rushed. Overall, very good and enjoyable and gives me a great appreciation of a genius who lived 500 years ago and yet has influenced us greatly.