In 1997, gates lent the work to the seattle art museum, as part of a seasonlong. The codex now belongs to the microsoft cofounder and philanthropist bill gates. Leonardo da vinci remembered 500 years after his death as. Gates has put the notebook out on loan to select museums this summer. The leicester codex, also known as the hammer codex from the name of the american millionaire who owned it before bill gates, was compiled between 1506 and 15, during the period when leonardo was dividing his time between short stays in florence and returning to milan, this time under the protection of the french king, louis xii. First, if you listen to the audio version as i did, you really need to have a copy of the accompanying pdf which i didnt because i listen in my car. His life and universe, steve jobs and leonardo da vinci, from which parts of. Given my fascination with leonardo, i was eager to read leonardo da vinci, walter isaacsons new biography. These are the 5 books bill gates wants you to read this.
Leonardo da vinci, as we know, was the epitome of the renaissance man. Bill gates wants you to read these 5 books over the summer. Bill gates bought the codex leicester a notebook of leonardo da vincis scientific observations and. Ive read a lot about leonardo over the years, but i had never found one book that satisfactorily covered all the different facets of his life. Microsoft cofounder bill gates is known to be an avid reader, and his home library is filled with rare books selected by a professional book dealer. Bill gates on the genius of leonardo da vinci wellsbaum. Nov 16, 2017 isaacson, a former managing editor of time, is the author of benjamin franklin.
Yet each was deprived of his mother at an early age and was reared in an apparently socially insecure milieu they might easily. He is best known as the cofounder of microsoft corporation. Last year gates loaned the work to australias powerhouse museum, which prepared this companion to its exhibition. Next year is the 500 th anniversary of his death, and i thought i would share a short video about a project ive worked on that is helping to mark the occasion the project is called the codescope. Learn about the major challenges faced by the health community in disease eradication and what public health is predicted to look like in the future. He was the outofwedlock son of messer piero fruosino di antonio da vinci, a wealthy florentine legal notary, and a peasant named caterina, identified as caterina buti del vacca and more recently as caterina di meo lippi by. Leonardo da vinci designed a flying machine over 400 years before the wright brothers achieved the first sustained flight. More than any other leonardo book ive read, this one helps you see him as a complete human being and understand just how special he was.
The gates foundation focuses primarily on progressing healthcare, so it comes as no surprise that one of bill gates favorite books is about how to eradicate disease. Ive been fascinated by the artist and inventor leonardo da vinci for decades. The manuscript, known as the codex leicester was written from leonardo da vinci from 1508 to 1510 and purchased in 1994. Guardian us leonardo da vincis prowess as a polymath driven by insatiable curiosity about everything from the human womb to deadly weaponry still stuns. Based on thousands of pages from leonardos astonishing notebooks and new discoveries about his life and work, walter isaacson weaves a narrative that connects his art to his science.
Leonardo is one of the most fascinating people ever bill gates. Although today hes best known as a painter, leonardo had an absurdly wide range of interests, from human anatomy to the theater. Bill gates wants you to read these 5 books over the summer cnet. Isaacson does the best job ive seen of pulling together the different strands of leonardos life and. When someone mentions the name bill gates, the first thing that may pop. Trained in florence as a painter and sculptor in the workshop of andrea del verrocchio 14351488, leonardo is also celebrated for his scientific contributions. He shows how leonardos 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. Codescope is an interactive kiosk with a touch screen that lets you explore the codex leicester, a notebook of leonardo da vincis that bill gates bought in 1994. The author of the acclaimed bestsellers steve jobs, einstein, and benjamin franklin brings leonardo da vinci to life in this exciting new biography. Leonardo da vinci by walter issacton is the best book till date not only in my opinion but ac. Even if leonardo da vinci had just been an artist and painter, he would still have been a great just for the last supper and mona lisa.
Leonardo da vinci is an elegantly illustrated book that broadens isaacsons viewfinder on the psychology of major lives henry kissinger, benjamin franklin, albert einstein and steve jobs are the subjects of his previous biographies. Jan 21, 2019 bill gates to read this magnificent biography of leonardo da vinci is to take 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. Leonardo da vinci designed a flying machine over 400 years before the. Studies on the ashen glow of the moon, from leonardo da vincis. Leonardo da vinci wrote from right to left in mirrored writing, so his work was only legible when held up to a mirror. This oneofakind device feels like youre flipping through the pages he wrote on. Ive read a lot about leonardo over the years, but i had never found one book that satisfactorily covered all the different facets of his life and work. His father took custody of him shortly after his birth. Walter isaacson is at once a true scholar and a spellbinding writer. Why bill gates bought da vincis notebooks fast company.
In the manuscript, da vinci the italian renaissance master who was a painter, sculptor, architect, mathematician, engineer, and musician inventor. The illegitimate son of a 25yearold notary, ser piero, and a peasant girl, caterina, leonardo was born on april 15, 1452, in vinci, italy, just outside florence. In this copiously illustrated biography, we feel its force all over again. A rare look at a the most expensive book ever sold. And why should he, as it is authored by none other than the renaissance genius himself. Growing up in his fathers vinci home, leonardo had access to scholarly texts owned by family and friends. These are the 5 books bill gates wants you to read this summer. Bill gates wrestles with big questions in five books that.
Hes the coauthor of everything connects, a book about how intrapersonal, interpersonal, and. Bill gates is an american business magnate, software developer, investor, and philanthropist. These are the books bill gates says to read this summer. Workin on a laptop, close to the end of a job ive been doin since half past ten i dont believe that its frozen again the system has gone downo, downo, downo i dont. His life and universe, steve jobs and leonardo da vinci, from which parts of this piece. More than any other leonardo book ive read, this one helps you see him as a complete human being and understand just how special he was, gates. Leonardo da vinci the most creative genius in history, a man we associate with the mona lisa and a seemingly mindboggling array of technological inventions turns out to have also been a. The codex leicester is a collection of scientific writings by leonardo da vinci.
Leonardo da vinci 14521519 is one of the most intriguing personalities in the history of western art. Bill gates bought the codex leicester a notebook of leonardo da vincis. But walter shows how leonardos genius is in the details. Ive been fascinated by leonardo da vinci for decades. More than any other leonardo book ive read, this one helps you see him as a. During his career at microsoft, gates held the positions of chairman, chief executive officer ceo, president and chief software architect, while also being the largest individual shareholder until may 2014. Bill gates to read this magnificent biography of leonardo da vinci is to take 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. Michelangelo and leonardo da vinci typify our notions of genius. I can name exactly 2 things that are the best with out a doubt.
Im fortunate to own one of the 32 surviving journals of leonardo da vinci. Look inside the rare leonardo da vinci notebook that bill. Leonardo da vinci, by walter isaacson gates became the proud owner of one of leonardo da vincis surviving journals in the 1990s, and his fascination with the artist and inventor has lived on. Leonardo da vinci by walter isaacson, paperback barnes. The codex was sold to bill gates by christies auction house on 11. Isaacson, a former managing editor of time, is the author of benjamin franklin. In the luminous daily beast leonardo da vinci, isaacson describes how leonardos delight at combining diverse passions remains the ultimate recipe for creativity. Anyone can enjoy the microsoft cofounders summer reading list, but some. New biography decodes leonardo da vincis odd genius the. Based on thousands of pages from leonardo da vincis astonishing notebooks and new discoveries about his life.
Shortly after melinda and i got married, i told her i was bidding on a notebook that. Beachread like a billionaire with touching novel lincoln in the bardo, a biography of renaissance genius leonardo da vinci, and more. Florence, italy as fascinating as leonardo da vincis musings on the nature of the world and what makes it tick are, the intellectual and visual. Leonardo was born on 1415 april 1452 in the tuscan hill town of vinci, in the lower valley of the arno river in the territory of the mediciruled republic of florence. Bill gates makes his 2018 summer reading recommendations time. The codex is named after thomas coke, later credited to earl of leicester, who purchased it in 1719. In leonardo da vincis scientific notebook, the mind of a. Dec 18, 2018 codescope is an interactive kiosk with a touch screen that lets you explore the codex leicester, a notebook of leonardo da vincis that bill gates bought in 1994. Leonardo da vinci is an elegantly illustrated book that broadens isaacsons viewfinder on the psychology of major lives henry kissinger, benjamin franklin, albert einstein and steve jobs are the subjects of his previous biographies, bestsellers all. New biography decodes leonardo da vincis odd genius. In, he purchased leonardo da vincis codex leicester, a manuscript that dates back to the 16th century. Billionaire philanthropist bill gates may spend heavily on vaccines and aid programs, but he seems to recognize that the one of the things that money cant buy is more knowledge. Given my fascination with leonardo, i was eager to read walter isaacsons new biography. The codex was on view at the phoenix art museum in phoenix, arizona from 24 january 2015 through 12 april 2015 for the exhibition leonardo da vinci s codex leicester and the power of observation.
Codescope is an interactive kiosk with a touch screen that lets you explore the codex leicester, a notebook of leonardo da vinci s that bill gates bought in 1994. Why leonardo da vinci was a genius the conversation. Dec 11, 2015 a rare look at a the most expensive book ever sold. Its presentation at phoenix art museum was the first time a work by the hand of leonardo himself was on view in arizona. Leonardo da vinci by walter isaacson 97815019154 booktopia. We know that he was a genius, a polymath, a pioneer in fields as diverse as anatomy and hydrodynamics. Walter isaacson wonderfully conveys how leonardos genius unified science and art.
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