Leonardo da Vinci
Categories: Biographies & Memoirs
Walter Isaacson's 2017 biography draws on thousands of pages of Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks to connect the artist's paintings with his science. Isaacson follows Leonardo from The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa to his studies of anatomy, fossils, birds, flying machines, optics and weaponry. He argues that Leonardo's creativity rested on skills anyone can build, such as curiosity, careful observation and a playful imagination, and he portrays a man who was illegitimate, gay, left-handed and easily distracted.
Recommended by 5 people
- Bill Gates
- Austen Allred
- Michael Bloomberg: “Celebrating @WalterIsaacson’s latest book tonight, Leonardo da Vinci, following the life of the Renaissance man and genius.”
- Ryan Holiday
- Shane Parrish: “A remarkable look at Da Vinci, the master polymath. I’ve read a few Da Vinci biographies, and Isaacson’s is by far the best, offering a magnificent tour of his life. Not only did Da Vinci create some of the most famous painting in history, he was also intensely curious about the workings of life.”