The Agony and the Ecstasy
by Irving Stone · first published 1958
75% recommend25% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Fictionalized biography of Michelangelo. It is a thick but rewarding read, engaging throughout, and well suited to curious young readers and anyone interested in art and Italy.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Mr. Stone gives his signature style and thought to this story of Michelangelo. He points out often in this book that Michelangelo, before beginning a work, asks what it is he is trying to capture in the moment of his painting, sculpture, or poem. So it is with Mr. Stone. He wants to portray, as close as he can find, the moments of the life of this artist. What shaped him, what he loved, what (and whom) he hated. At the moments Stone writes of. A great book, and one I hope to read again.
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The Agony and the Ecstasy, by Irving Stone, perhaps? Its the first thing that came to mind when I saw this. Irving Stone's Lust for Life, about Vincent Van Gogh, is pretty good as well.
on “Sistine Chapel” ↗vist a museum and read the 'Agony and the Ecstasy' and 'Lust for Life' by Irving Stone. The first book is on Michealangelo and the second is on the life of Vincent Van Gogh.
on “Ask HN: what was the best life/programming choice you ever made?” ↗The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone. It's a biographical novel about Michelangelo. It made a profound statement to me when I was young that "an artist must leave a body of work" - it's not enough to just do one thing one…
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗…long time; you really don't need to just do one thing the whole time. A quote from a novel has always been an inspiration since I read it in high school - "An artist must leave a body of work" from The Agony And The Ecstasy, about Michelangelo. If your programming no longer excites you, learn something new in programming, or even learn something that isn't programming and do that. It's not easy, and might cost you money,…
on “Ask HN: How do you deal with getting old and feeling lost?” ↗[ A quote from a novel has always been an inspiration since I read it in high school - "An artist must leave a body of work" from The Agony And The Ecstasy, about Michelangelo. If your programming no longer excites you, learn something new in programming, or even learn something that isn't programming and do that. It's not easy, and might cost you money,…
on “Ask HN: How do you deal with getting old and feeling lost?” ↗my father made reading The Agony and The Ecstasy a requirement to go to Italy when I was a sophomore in high school. It's a thick tome, but a great read if you're a curious kid. as the others said Michelangelo hated doing that painting. He's a very…
on “Michelangelo's First Painting, Created When He Was Only 12 or 13 Years Old” ↗Related https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Agony_and_the_Ecstasy_(nov... Great book!
on “Michelangelo's First Painting, Created When He Was Only 12 or 13 Years Old” ↗Reading various biographies! Some of the books on my list are: The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí Doctor Goebbels: His Life and Death I, Claudius by Robert Graves The Agony and the Ecstasy Lust for Life Carl Jung Memories, Dreams and Reflections. Stephen King - On Writing
on “Ask HN: What are you learning?” ↗…release it, but it seems to me that probably some people want something more comprehensive for similar reasons that they may read biographies. I'm indifferent to Michelangelo's art, but I have read The Agony and the Ecstasy. In this particular case, a less filtered view of his art doesn't disillusion me because I'm not especially crazy about any of it. But he was famous, influential, and technically capable, so as a person…
on “All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty” ↗