Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci
Score Modern
What it's about
Walter Isaacson draws on Leonardo da Vinci's more than seven thousand surviving notebook pages to tell the story of his life: an illegitimate son with little schooling, an artist who left most of his projects unfinished, and an endlessly curious man who studied anatomy, flight, water, optics and the tongue of a woodpecker. He shows how that curiosity fed his art, from The Last Supper to the Mona Lisa.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. Isaacson makes Leonardo human, and the book is a celebration of curiosity itself.
You'll love it if you liked
Steve Jobs
The Code Breaker
Elon MuskGood to know
The hardcover is richly illustrated, which helps a lot; the print and e-book editions with color images are worth it.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller76 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #79 of the 198 history books we rank
- #83 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #220 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #433 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Walter Isaacson
Steve JobsElon MuskThe Code Breaker
Einstein: His Life and UniverseIf you like this, read next
Between the World and Me
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
Educated: A Memoir
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets
The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm XExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Leonardo da Vinci worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #433 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Leonardo da Vinci about?
Walter Isaacson draws on Leonardo da Vinci's more than seven thousand surviving notebook pages to tell the story of his life: an illegitimate son with little schooling, an artist who left most of his projects unfinished, and an endlessly curious man who studied anatomy, flight, water, optics and the tongue of a woodpecker. He shows how that curiosity fed his art, from The Last Supper to the Mona Lisa.
How long does it take to read Leonardo da Vinci?
About 14 hours (576 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Leonardo da Vinci?
If you liked it, try Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson or Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson.