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Leonardo da Vinci (Abridged) Audiobook
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Publisher Description
The #1 New York Times bestseller from Walter Isaacson brings Leonardo da Vinci to life in this exciting new biography that is “a study in creativity: how to define it, how to achieve it…Most important, it is a powerful story of an exhilarating mind and life” (The New Yorker).
Based on thousands of pages from Leonardo da Vinci’s astonishing notebooks and new discoveries about his life and work, Walter Isaacson “deftly reveals an intimate Leonardo” (San Francisco Chronicle) in 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 and the Mona Lisa. With a passion that sometimes became obsessive, he pursued innovative studies of anatomy, fossils, birds, the heart, flying machines, botany, geology, and weaponry. He explored the math of optics, showed how light rays strike the cornea, and produced illusions of changing perspectives in The Last Supper. His ability to stand at the crossroads of the humanities and the sciences, made iconic by his drawing of Vitruvian Man, made him history’s most creative genius.
In the “luminous” (Daily Beast) Leonardo da Vinci, Isaacson describes how Leonardo’s delight at combining diverse passions remains the ultimate recipe for creativity. So, too, does his ease at being a bit of a misfit: illegitimate, gay, vegetarian, left-handed, easily distracted, and at times heretical. His life should remind us of the importance to be imaginative and, like talented rebels in any era, to think different. Here, da Vinci “comes to life in all his remarkable brilliance and oddity in Walter Isaacson’s ambitious new biography…a vigorous, insightful portrait” (The Washington Post).
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"This was an excellent book and narration. I'm feeling inspired and educated. This story about Leonardo Da Vinci is also very entertaining. "
— Nicole (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Alfred Molina’s narration is easy to follow…The author’s sometimes detailed passages seem natural, and Molina’s cultured accent adds to the listening pleasure without seeming like an affectation. His fluency with Italian names helps keep the reading flowing. The PDF is a visual treat and is referenced throughout the work, so listeners will want to refer to it regularly to get the full benefit of the author’s analysis. Nonetheless, the reading stands on its own. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile -
“Isaacson’s acclaimed biography of the artist and inventor is narrated by actor Molina, whom you might recognize from Boogie Nights or—wait, is this some kind of conspiracy?—The Da Vinci Code.”
— Los Angeles Times (audio review) -
“A tour through the life and works of one of the most extraordinary human beings of all time and in the company of the most engaging, informed, and insightful guide imaginable. Walter Isaacson is at once a true scholar and a spellbinding writer.”
— David McCullough, Pulitzer Prize-winning author -
“Isaacson deserves immense praise for producing a very human portrait of a genius.”
— Times (London) -
“A powerful story of an exhilarating mind and life….the book is a study in creativity: how to define it, how to achieve it.”
— New Yorker -
“[Leonardo] comes to life in all his remarkable brilliance and oddity.”
— Washington Post -
“Monumental…Leonardo led an astonishingly interesting eventful life. And Isaacson brilliantly captures its essence.”
— Toronto Star -
“A masterpiece.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“A monumental tribute to a titanic figure.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Majestic…Isaacson takes on another complex, giant figure and transforms him into someone we can recognize…Enthralling, masterful, and passionate.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Awards
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Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
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A BookPage Top Pick for November
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A Los Angeles Times Pick of Audiobooks
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A #1 New York Times bestseller
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An Audible.com bestseller
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A New York Times audio bestseller
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About Walter Isaacson
Walter Isaacson is the author of highly acclaimed works of nonfiction, including several biographies that have made the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. A professor of history at Tulane University, he has been CEO of the Aspen Institute, chair of CNN, and editor of Time. Visit him at Isaacson.Tulane.edu.
About Alfred Molina
Alfred Molina is an actor and winner of numerous Earphones Awards for audiobook narration. His films include Spiderman II, Frida, Magnolia, Chocolat, Boogie Nights, The Perez Family, Maverick, Enchanted April, Not Without My Daughter, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Prick Up Your Ears. He has appeared extensively on British and American television, including the TV series Bram & Alice and Ladies’ Man. He received a Tony Award nomination, a Drama Desk Award, and an Outer Critics Circle Award for his performance in Art on Broadway. He also performed on Broadway in Molly Sweeney and in Speed the Plow for the National Theatre in London.