The biography of Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the most prolific minds in human history, was written by Walter Isaacson—an American writer, journalist and historian mostly recognized for writing the biographies of Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin.
Isaacson is famous for writing astonishing biographies that not only describe the lives of the world’s greatest minds, but focuses on highlighting the innate humanness inside the geniuses.
Isaacson wrote the biography of Da Vinci based on thousands of pages from Da Vinci’s astounding notebooks. They revealed the artist’s private life events as well as the discoveries he made during his lifetime. The biography is mesmerizing and a somewhat easy read. You will find yourself reading a hundred pages non-stop and perhaps finish reading the book in a week.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s biography is truly inspiring and mesmerizing. It often makes the reader put into perspective what one can achieve if you pursue your passions. With all that Da Vinci accomplished during his lifetime, it seemed like he had more hours in a day than the average human has. However, it was his legitimate passion for learning and discovering that led him to master a variety of subjects. The biography teaches the reader that combining imagination and intellect can lead to discoveries and inventions.
Leonardo Da Vinci, the artist of two of the most famous paintings in history, The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, was what we would refer to as a misfit in society back in the 1400s. Leonardo was an illegitimate son, gay, left-handed and vegetarian, which was not a good example of the traditionalism of that time. He was also set apart by his desire for learning and seeing the unseen. He made significant discoveries and improvements in the arts, engineering, human anatomy, physics, mathematics and botany. The Vitruvian man is another project with which Leonardo was obsessed, and that led him to greater improvements in architecture.
One of his best characteristics was his stubborn refusal of settling with any of the information given to him. He was always experimenting and trying to prove himself. He was a perfectionist—one of the main reasons why he was so great, but also something that consistently brought problems to his life.
It seems like Da Vinci was born in the perfect time and place, and, apart from being a rebel, perfectionist and passionate man, he was also very kind-hearted. Da Vinci was always willing to share his blessings and knowledge. He often sheltered friends and was not motivated by wealth and possessions.
The book not only teaches the reader about Da Vinci’s life events and how they shaped history, but you also learn more about the world around you. Da Vinci was indeed a gift from heaven, as stated in the book, and his biography is a masterpiece. Perhaps he wasn’t superhuman, but he believed he could achieve anything he set his mind to.
“While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
-Walter Isaacson