Walter Isaacson’s Leonardo da Vinci is a deep dive into one of history’s most brilliant minds. He doesn’t just tell you what Leonardo did—he immerses you in his paintings, his scientific research, and his endless curiosity about the world. This isn’t just a biography; it’s an exploration of how Leonardo thought and why he was so ahead of his time.

The book is incredibly detailed, covering everything from Leonardo’s art techniques to his anatomical studies, engineering designs, and even his fascination with water. Isaacson does a great job of tying all these pieces together, showing how Leonardo’s creativity and scientific mind fed into each other.

You really get a sense of how he observed the world, asked questions, and then tried to answer them, whether through painting, inventing, or dissecting human bodies to understand how they worked.

One of the best parts of this book was learning about Leonardo’s quirks—things I never knew about him. For example, he was notorious for leaving paintings unfinished, including the Adoration of the Magi, because he was more interested in experimenting than finishing commissions.

He also loved creating elaborate stage sets and costumes for plays, which seems fitting for someone who treated the world like one big experiment. And surprisingly, despite studying the human body in extreme detail, he was a vegetarian who despised the idea of harming animals.

It’s also a surprisingly introspective book. You’re not just reading about Leonardo’s accomplishments—you’re stepping into his notebooks, seeing his thoughts unfold, and getting a glimpse of his personality. He wasn’t just a genius; he was a curious, sometimes scattered, always questioning person who left behind a record of his mind at work.

That said, the level of detail can be overwhelming at times. Isaacson really takes his time explaining Leonardo’s techniques and studies, which is fascinating but can also slow things down. Still, if you’re interested in art, science, or just the life of a truly unique thinker, this book is well worth your time.