Based on thousands of pages from Leonardo’s astonishing notebooks and new discoveries about his life and work, Walter Isaacson weaves a narrative that connects his art to his science. He shows how Leonardo’s genius was based on skills we can improve in ourselves, such as passionate curiosity, careful observation, and an imagination so playful that it flirted with fantasy.

My opinion

This is a excellent biography of a genius man by a great writer. I have read one other biography by Isaacson (Steve Jobs). That one was really good and this one is maybe even better. It’s inspirational, fascinating and honest. It gives reader a clear picture of what kind of man Leonardo was, what were his accomplishments and setbacks. It also pictures the zeitgeist of Renaissance era Italy.

For who?

Anyone interested in zeitgeist of Renaissance era, art history or history of natural sciences and naturally anyone who is interested what kind of person was Leonardo Da Vinci.