Leonardo da Vinci: The Flights of the Mind

Drawing freely on his own original translations of Leonardos notebooks as well as newly discovered contemporary accounts, Nicholl captures the very texture of Leonardos mind and the pungent visceral impressions he transmuted into art. Detail by brilliant detail, Nicholl reconstructs the life and times of the artist, from his troubled childhood as the illegitimate son of an established Tuscan family to his years of apprenticeship in the burgeoning art world of Medici Florence to his unrivaled achievements in a breathtaking array of disciplines and media. Here, too, are compelling new answers to the enduring mysteries of Leonardos sexual orientation, the true identity of the Mona Lisa, and the early experiences that inspired his lifelong obsession with human flight.

A writer of irresistible charm and quicksilver imagination, Nicholl takes us from the backstreet artists studios of Florence to the glittering palazzi of the Medici, Sforza, and Borgia families as he pursues the most extravagantly talented and maddeningly elusive artist of all time. The result is a biography of rare grace and penetration.

Really loved this. I can't imagine there being a more exhaustive book on da Vinci. Nicholl goes over all that is known about his life and works and while managing to give all the facts, also indulges in a lot of "what if's" and context, all of which brings what could otherwise be an overly dry and academic book to life. The world that he lived in is vividly described and the broader cultural and political movements are all given full consideration. And where gaps in the knowledge exist, he gives plausible descriptions of what things might have been like based on what we know of other, similar circumstances from the same time.
That, and da Vinci is just a fascinating man - full of contradictions and complexity, undeniably a genius, yet also deeply flawed and imperfect. In some ways that was what I enjoyed most about this book. One can tend to think of genius as springing up fully formed, yet it is the failings and shortcomings and struggles that form the ground for that genius to emerge.
A really great book. While maybe a bit too academic for some people, if you are at all a history buff like me, or are simply interested in da Vinci, I highly recommend it.