Leonardo da Vinci
by Walter Isaacson, Jordi Ainaud i Escudero, Beruryah Ben Barukh · first published 2017
52% recommend48% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A well-researched biography that demystifies Leonardo's genius and shows how he learned and worked, with 120+ illustrations of his drawings and notes. For readers curious about art, tech and multidisciplinary thinking.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The author of the acclaimed bestsellers Steve Jobs, Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin brings Leonardo da Vinci to life in this exciting new biography. 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. He produced the two most famous paintings in history, The Last Supper
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…Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari - The Phoenix Project by D.M. Cain - 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari - Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Tia T. Farmer - Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson - Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss - Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink - Linear Algebra by Jim Hefferon - 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson…
on “Analyzing Hacker News book suggestions in Python” ↗Book Titles > Leonardo da Vinci, by Walter Isaacson. > Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I’ve Loved, by Kate Bowler > Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders. > Origin Story: A Big History of Everything, by David Christian.…
on “Books worth reading this summer” ↗I just finished reading Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Issacson and it was so good that i had to "reset" my HN password just to make this comment.
on “Ask HN: Biographies recommendations – both Westerner and Non-westerner” ↗…autobiography of Mohandas K. Gandhi (English Version) - Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford - Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson - The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution by Walter Isaacson - Ego is the Enemy, Stillness Is the Key, and The Obstacle Is the Way;…
on “Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?” ↗Super excited for Walter Isaacson's biography of Musk which comes out in September. I found Isaacson's books on Leonardo da Vinci and Steve Jobs just really great reading.
on “Musk's biographer on his 'demon mode’: It's hard to watch but gets stuff done” ↗…interesting. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/104949.How_to_See_Yourse... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada https://www.shambhala.com/the-pocket-dalai-lama-14965.html https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25942786-the-mind-illumi... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3346233-buddhism - Leonardo Da Vinci My take away: There is a beautiful intersection between tech and art. Great things could not exist without a little of both. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34684622-leonardo-da-vin... - The Alchemist…
on “Ask HN: What are good resources for life advice?” ↗leonardo da vinci bio by walter isaacson came out this year. very in-depth & excellently researched
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in 2017?” ↗The biography of Leonardo da Vinci, a beautiful and interesting book, https://www.amazon.com/Leonardo-Vinci-Walter-Isaacson/dp/150... - one to my collegue, one to my former colleague. A stunningly beautiful edition of "Do Androids Dream…
on “Ask HN: What books have you given as a present in 2017?” ↗Possibly not what you’re looking for, but the Leonardo Da Vinci biography by Isaacson has the clearest example of that I’ve ever seen. Leonardo’s methodology of learning is incredible and inspiring.
on “Ask HN: Any recommended books on developing mental models?” ↗The last 5 book I read and enjoyed: 1. Digital Apollo 2. Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency 3. How we Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World 4. A Brief History of Time 5. Leonardo Da Vinci (Isaacson) Any suggestions? (I'd give bonus points if the book is on OverDrive!)
on “Ask HN: Book Suggestions for Vacation” ↗…of pre-20th century discoveries have been discovered several times by various people, but the surrounding society has not benefitted from their knowledge for various reasons. An excellent example is Leonardo da Vinci. If this question irks you, I warmly suggest you read Isaacson's biography of him. Leonardo discovered several scientific principles hundreds of years before his time, including Newton's third law, and…
on “Was the Antikythera Mechanism the world’s first computer? (2007)” ↗…Theranos' rise to prominence made me realize how much we fetishize geniuses and how little popular experts know. Books like these remind me not to pay too much attention to how people frame their success Leonardo da Vinci by Isaacson: I went into this book expecting to be blown away by how much smarter Da Vinci was than me. Instead I was blown away by how human and hard working he was and it taught me valuable lessons…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2018?” ↗…Gladwell * Where Good Ideas Come from, by Steven Johnson * The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene: An Intimate History both by Mukherjee Siddhartha Learn (more) about great thinkers? * Einstein or Leonardo da Vinci or Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson * Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, by Phil Knight Yuval Noah Harari 3 good ones: * Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow * Sapiens: A Brief History of…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2018?” ↗Leonardo Da Vinci's Biography by Walter Isaacson: https://www.amazon.com/Leonardo-Vinci-Walter-Isaacson/dp/150...
on “Ask HN: What books do you recommend?” ↗My absolute favorite is the one on Wright Brothers, but that one is already mentioned by another member, so I will give the second best which is Walter Isaacson's biography of Leonardo Da Vinci. I have set myself the goal to regularly read the last chapter over again. He is so fascinating!
on “Ask HN: Recommend a biography?” ↗