Description
Book SynopsisThis book is both a revelatory biography and an accessible study of Leonardo''s life and multi-faceted work as a scientist and engineer. It covers all aspects of the man''s life but is also a re-interpretation of the voluminous evidence to paint an original picture of Leonardo da Vinci not only as the archetypal polymath, but as the first true scientist. Topics include:
* A detailed investigation of how Leonardo''s manuscripts and notebooks were lost to the world and kept secret during his own lifetime and how this altered the progress of science.
* A thorough analysis of his work as a scientist and how he predated many of the great figures of the 16th and 17th centuries, including Galileo, Kepler, William Harvey, Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton.
* Leonardo''s legacy -- what did Leonardo leave in his notebooks and how may they be viewed in the light of modern scientific understanding? What did he achieve in science?
Trade ReviewWhite's level-headed assessments of the scientific content of Leonardo's surviving works are characteristically clear and easy to follow . . . [White] sifts fact from opinion in the works of his predecessors, and conveys his own enthusiasm and admiration for his subject * LITERARY REVIEW *
A lively and often informative book * SUNDAY TIMES *
By focusing on the motivational aspects of science, White successfully expands the definition of the term "scientist" . . . [Leonardo's] spirit is present in White's careful scholarship and independence of mind * TES *
Wholly fascinating. * INDEPENDENT *
