Da Vinci For Dummies [Paperback]

Jessica Teisch Ph.D (Author), Tracy Barr (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0764578375 | ISBN-13: 978-0764578373 | Edition: 1

The fun and easy way to understand his work, his methods, and his mind

Thanks to the phenomenal success of the bestselling The Da Vinci Code, interest in this famed Renaissance artist has never been higher. This friendly guide provides an easy-to-follow introduction to da Vinci's life and works, including the story behind celebrated paintings such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, the lowdown on his inventions, which include the helicopter and bicycle, and plain-English explanations of his groundbreaking scientific work in anatomy, zoology, botany, geology, optics, aerodynamics, and hydrodynamics.

The book also discusses his famed notebooks, his relationship to the Catholic Church, and the factual basis of The Da Vinci Code.

Jessica Teisch, PhD (Berkeley, CA) is Managing Editor of Bookmarks magazine and has written hundreds of profiles and book reviews for this award-winning publication. She has also written books and articles on subjects ranging from literature to technological, environmental, intellectual, and cultural history.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Explore Leonardo's life, art, inventions, discoveries, and thought

Get the truth about Leonardo da Vinci andseparate fact from fiction

Leonardo da Vinci not only created the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa, but was also a pioneering scientist, inventor, and engineer whose contributions continue to impact everyday life. Of late, his reputation as a religious thinker has also grown. But just who was this quintessential Renaissance man? Da Vinci For Dummies delivers the straight scoop — from his secret journals and inventions to his detailed research on human anatomy.

Discover

• Leonardo's contributions and modern day influence
• Breakthrough scientific discoveries and inventions
• The real story of the Mona Lisa
• The religious symbolism in The Last Supper
• The facts, fiction, codes, conspiracies, & more!

About the Author

Jessica Teisch, PhD (Berkeley, CA), is Managing Editor of Bookmarks magazine and has written hundreds of profiles and book reviews for this awardwinning publication. She has also written books and articles on subjects ranging from literature to technological, environmental, intellectual, and cultural history.

Tracy Barr has been a part of the For Dummies phenomenon for almost a decade. In that time, she has served as editor, editorial manager, writer, and consultant to folks who write and edit For Dummies books. Most recently, she helped write World War II For Dummies with Keith D. Dickson and Religion For Dummies with Rabbi Mark Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman. She also is the author of Yorkshire Terriers For Dummies and coauthor of Latin For Dummies and Adoption For Dummies.

Product Details

• Paperback: 382 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (March 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764578375
• ISBN-13: 978-0764578373
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally - A Book on Da Vinci that I Can and Want to Read, March 31, 2005

By 

curious_reader (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Da Vinci For Dummies (Paperback)

I've always wondered who Leonardo Da Vinci really was. Sure, I slept though most of my Renaissance and Art History classes - but when the subject would turn to Da Vinci, I would always perk up. Did he really invent all of those wacky things? Was he the founder of modern medicine and anatomy? Was he a heretic? Was he the really the consummate Renaissance man? Now, after recently reading the Da Vinci Code - many of those old curiosities have resurfaced.

Da Vinci for Dummies tackles the complex subject of Da Vinci in the time-honored fashion I've come to expect from the Dummies series. If only this book had been around when I was studying Da Vinci in high school! It is written with a deep sense of respect, if not admiration, for its subject. As with other books in this series, Da Vinci for Dummies is both very fun and extremely easy to read, and it is organized in a format that makes finding answers to specific questions a breeze without having to search through the entire book. But, don't be deceived by its outward appearance and ease of use. I found this book to be as scholarly researched as it is easy to read. So, I would highly recommend it to anyone who is studying Da Vinci or preparing a report on the subject. (Shhhh - don't tell your teachers I said this!) However - I would also recommend it to anyone who has the slightest interest in this curious and profoundly important individual. If you've read the Da Vinci code, as I have, and wanted to know more - consider this book a quick and easy, yet surprisingly scholarly refresher, in the subject!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just What I wanted!, March 30, 2005

By 

M. Bernstein (Knoxville, Tennessee) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Da Vinci For Dummies (Paperback)

I've always been fascinated by Da Vinci, but never had the time to read a long dense biography or really study him properly. Then I got a copy of Da Vinci for Dummies. It is just what the doctor ordered. It gave me the historical overview that I really wanted and enough specifics about his activities to make me want more. The book is well written, easy to read and truly capitaviting. He was such an interesting character and this book really opens the door. Bravo!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully Researched, Easy to Read and FUNNY !!, April 5, 2005

By 

Rafael D. Escandon (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Da Vinci For Dummies (Paperback)

It's rare that a writer/editor has the depth of knowledge and confidence in her research to venture to have a little bit of fun with a historical/scientific figure of Leonardo's significance. Fortunately for readers, Jessica Teisch completely pulls it off. She writes this extremely easy to read and entertaining volume as if Leonardo was the next door neighbor she grew up with - In fact, at times, I was so entertained that it escaped my realization that I was actually picking up dozens of facts (i.e.; Leonardo was a lefty, a conplete non-conformist and that he actually didnt enjoy performing his exquisite anatomic dissections). All in all, this is a beautifully researched book that doesnt just educate you about Leonardo, but actually takes you all the way back to the Greeks and gives you a lovely tour up through the Rennaisance to boot. Where was this book when I was trying to impress historians and artists alike? Never mind - it's here now.