by Walter IsaacsonThe BEST work of non-fiction I have read in a while, and one that I can highly recommend to any reader, no matter whether they "never" read non-fiction, are interested in art or not.
The author has done a great job (and probably put in countless hours of thorough research) in creating a book that not only gives the facts about its subject's life, but makes the man and his time truly come alive.
Walter Isaacson does not present his own imagination as facts. Whenever he assumes, he says so, and always makes it clear why he has reached this or that idea about Leonardo from what we can safely consider as facts.
The book contains a timeline and a list of main characters, both rather usueful when you, like me, read it over the course of several months and need to re-familiarise yourself every now and then with where (and when) some thing or other has taken place.
Chapters chronologically follow Leonardo's life, and end with his death. There is also an extensive part of notes at the end of the book, spanning almost 40 pages, followed by illustration credits and a useful index. Both the author and his editor(s) clearly know their stuff; it may help that Walter Isaacson has written other biographies, for instance about Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Frankling and Henry Kissinger.
There honestly was not a page that I did not enjoy. The only thing that, in my eyes (literally!), makes this book less than perfect, is the size of some of its illustrations. As you all know, my eyesight is not the best, and so some of the prints of paintings and drawings are rather small, even though there would have been enough room for lager illustrations.
I received the book as a birthday present for my 50th birthday in 2018. This goes to show how slow my reading has become these days. Now I am going to write an email to the friend who gave me the book and thank him once more.
This sounds so interesting, Meike. I didn't know if I wanted to buy a copy but was happy to find my local library had an ebook I could reserve. Of course, this will not do a good job with the illustrations so I'll have to see if I want to see it in another format. Da Vinci is a fascinating man. I noticed that my library has other biographies written by Isaacson.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that I managed to convey what a great book this is! Da Vinci was indeed a fascinating man. Something I also like about this book is that the author does not fall into unrealistic hero worship. He shows Leonardo in all his humanity, with his strengths and talents as well as his weaknesses and faults.
DeleteThank you, I have just ordered it form our library.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did, Dave!
DeleteIf I am not mistaken, this is your first comment on my blog. Thank you for popping over, and welcome!
I've been a reader for a while now but this is the first time I've commented and felt I needed to because I like Da Vinci and saw the exhibition of some of his works that were on tour here. I also read the "Weaver of grass" blog and noticed yours there.
DeleteThe exhibition was to commemorate the 500th anniversary of his death last year, I suppose? I would have liked to see that, too.
DeleteMost of the blogs I regularly read have made it to my reading list pretty much the same way as you say, noticing the blogger's comments on someone else's blog.
Thank you for doing this review! I usually read fiction books but once in awhile I enjoy a good biography. This one sounds excellant! I've always been fascinated by Da Vinci and I appreciate a biography that is based on the known facts and not just giving the positives. I'm glad you enjoyed it and I may be getting a copy myself!
ReplyDeleteIt was worth every hour I spent reading it, Bonnie. The book is so well structured that I didn't have difficulties in picking it up again even after a week or more of not reading.
DeleteGood biographies make great reading, don't they, even if we know more or less from the outset what is going to happen.
I seem to have had a month or more of not reading.
DeleteThat has never happened in my life ever since I learned to read - not even after my eye operation in 2018, when I was not allowed to read properly for for weeks...
DeleteAs you know I read but almost never comment upon your book reviews unless I'm likely to read (or have read) the book being reviewed. With all that I do and the small amount of reading I do I'm not sure I'll get around to this but I admire Leonardo da Vinci immensely. So I have taken a note and, hopefully, will read this recommendation.
ReplyDeleteIt is a big book, and that was one reason why it waited so long in my To Be Read pile before I tackled it. But I need not have feared; as mentioned above, it can be easily read just bits at a time without losing the plot (so to speak).
DeleteI have that same book! You know I do! And I WILL get around to reading it one day! The one we have here has a different cover though. So glad to see you reading non fiction!! And about someone who shares my birthday too! We geniuses!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was looking for the cover picture online to add to my review, I saw that there were others; probably a different one for the US market than for the European market.
DeleteI am glad you told me you have the book, because I was considering sending it to you! You and Leonardo have the same birthday - I wasn't aware of that! Mine is shared with William Shatner :-D