This was a bit of a slow read at first as there was a lot included on Renaissance art and history that I'm not very familiar with. Nevertheless, it was interesting and when Capra began concentrating on the science I was able to go a little faster. Leonardo was way ahead of his time in almost every area of knowledge he tackled and made some very interesting discoveries. This is all the more remarkable when one considers that he was largely self-taught outside of what he learned in the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio as one of his apprentices.

Capra asks how science might have developed differently had Leonardo's notebooks been published at the end of his life rather than being scattered with possibly as much as half of them having been completely lost. Recommended.

The first half or so of this book is a very interesting biography of one of the great geniuses of all time. The latter half, which discusses Leonardo's integrative theory of knowledge, is somewhat less successful to my mind. Since almost all of Leonardo's scientific discoveries remained unknown for centuries and so had no impact on subsequent research, it seems difficult to make a case that his science really mattered all that much, either then or now. ( )

I found the first half of the story (the more factual and biographical half) to be more enjoyable and interesting than the latter half. To me much of the book came across too pleading for the author's own scientific ideology as if by having Leonardo da Vinci following its order must make it that much more credible. Nonetheless, it was still overall a decent book and I enjoyed the overviews of many of Leonardo's more famous artistic works. ( )

"The Science of Leonardo," by Fritjof Capra is a magnificent look at the tremendously pioneering innovations of Leonardo Da Vinci- the original "renaissance man." Da Vinci, though he was "unlettered" and did not have the benefit of an education in the classics as a boy, still was an amazingly intelligent and creative genius. Many of his concepts, techniques and innovations were centuries ahead of their time.

In this wonderful book, Capra skillfully shows how Da Vinci was not only an amazing artist, but his studies, ideas and innovations in the areas of engineering, anatomy, flight, architecture, design and even sanitation, were pioneering. Capra provides an insightful biography of Da Vinci that places his accomplishments within his context- in the late 15th/early 16th centuries in Italy.

Even though Da Vinci was not well educated, he had a voracious appetite for knowledge and discovery. He read and studied all the leading academic works of the day, and dared to ask and seek the answers to difficult questions. He took copious notes- both of what he had read, and, more importantly, what he observed- in nature, in human society, in the arts.

Capra points out how Da Vinci was diplomatically astute and knew how to best present his skills and services in order to gain the financial backing he needed from his patrons in order to pursue his scientific and artistic quests. Every time he began work on a project, he began by focusing on the specifics of the project, but soon branched out and expanded his research far beyond the scope of the original project. For instance, when he was commissioned to do a painting of a particular subject, such as a person or topic- such as the "Virgin of the Rocks," or "The Last Supper"- he sought to approach it from a perspective never before attempted. He also delved deep into the symbolic significance and brought a much greater depth to the subject.

Capra also makes a keen observation about the gift Da Vinci had for finding a harmony between the best aspects of the natural world and design. This set him apart from any other thinker of his time. Capra also observes how Da Vinci assembled thousands of pages of amazingly detailed notes, sketches and drawings. With the exception of one or two folios which were published late in his life or soon after his death, the vast majority of Da Vinci's amazing notes were not publicly known or studied for centuries, in some cases. He also traces how many of the pages from his notes were either lost, or separated and scattered throughout Europe. Only within the past century has approximately 6000 pages out of the 12000 or so originally written been gathered, historically verified, restored, and reassembled.

Overall, this book is quite interesting, informative and thoroughly engaging. Capra has provided a tremendous portrait of Da Vinci as a great innovator. Highly recommended! ( )

Much like Michaelangelo, Da Vinci taught himself as his curiosity about all of life drove him. Interesting and accessible read. ( )