I’m a sucker for NYT best-sellers, especially in the non-fiction world. Not being a big fan of Da Vinci or Mona Lisa, I was sniffing around this biiiig book for a few weeks. Then I gave in, got on the library waiting list, and committed to giving it a go. If it bored me as I expected, well, life’s too short to etc.
Then I got it. Read it in a weekend. A good writer an make anything fascinating, and Isaacson (good writer) had a great subject. Who knew?
Some take-aways:
Leonardo started more paintings than he finished (he got bored).
He dissed Michelangelo big time.
He discovered all this anatomy, astronomy, geology, everythingology stuff, but never published anything – so it all had to be rediscovered 100-400 years later!
He was commissioned to do Mona, but kept it til he died, adding little bits as he learned more abt the world.
I especially enjoyed Isaacson’s detailed dissection of paintings, revealing connections to L’s voracious fascination with the physical world.
You know you’ve been meaning to catch up on genius. Here’s a great and diverting opportunity!