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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
A masterpiece. Brilliantly written and expertly narrated. While I generally prefer to read than listen, I don't believe my inner voice could have made this nearly as pleasurable.
slow-paced
informative
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
relaxing
slow-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Don't let the size of this book fool you. It is an "easy" read for a subject with so much information. Throughout the book are pictures of Leonardo's work from early in his life to his last days. The author also compares his work to artists at the time and you can see how far ahead Leonardo really was.
I am not usually into biographies, but this book was fantastic! Walter Issacson takes us through the life of da Vinci from the beginning through the end. We learn about his beginnings as an artist and painter, and see how his sense of curiosity and observation allow him to grow and develop his craft in fantastic ways. From there, Issacson shows us how da Vinci continues to take that curiosity, observation, and creative imagination forward into other areas of the world. Observing birds and looking into engineering for flying machines. Taking his engineering and observation into learning and understanding the anatomy of the human body. Taking his learnings from nature and anatomy and mechanics and applying it to more machines, hydrodynamics, and endless more inventions, ideas, notebooks, and even more art, all against the backdrop of Renaissance Italy. This book was very well organized, easy to read, and above all fascinating. I couldn't put it down. Walter Isaacson's research and knowledge on the subject are extremely thorough and detailed. Above all, he doesn't just tell us about da Vinci, rather, Isaacson seems to be able to take us into da Vinci's mind. By the end, I felt I could really understand how da Vinci's mind worked, driven by his endless curiosity, intense observation, and limitless imagination. This book was fantastic and I would highly recommend it. I may have to read some of the other biographies by Isaacson.
overall good... but way too much deep-diving into the intricacies of all da Vinci's varied interests.. i found the math sections particularly boring...
This was the first biography I've ever read, and it did not disappoint. Blending journalistic intrigue with academic diligence, Isaacson chronicles Da Vinci's whole life from start to finish. He seeks to explain not only what Da Vinci achieved, but also how such a prolifically creative and curious mind came to be.
I was also delighted that the book was able to impart an introduction to, and appreciation of art history as a byproduct of learning about Leonardo's life. It is testament to Isaacson's writing that he managed to make art history, something I would have previously expressed no interest in, so incredibly captivating! I particularly enjoyed the investigative aspect of understanding Leonardo's life; trying to ascertain what is fact, what is embellished fact, and what is the fiction of previous biographers.
The book ends with a list of intellectual virtues that Leonardo displayed throughout his life, which are inspiring, and I hope to come back and read again another day.
I was also delighted that the book was able to impart an introduction to, and appreciation of art history as a byproduct of learning about Leonardo's life. It is testament to Isaacson's writing that he managed to make art history, something I would have previously expressed no interest in, so incredibly captivating! I particularly enjoyed the investigative aspect of understanding Leonardo's life; trying to ascertain what is fact, what is embellished fact, and what is the fiction of previous biographers.
The book ends with a list of intellectual virtues that Leonardo displayed throughout his life, which are inspiring, and I hope to come back and read again another day.