Book Description
Plunder for pirates' booty, dress up like a princess, get a wake-up call from a rock star, bring your binoculars and watch safari animals from your balcony, watch a rocket launch —Fodor's Walt Disney World®, Universal Orlando®, and Central Florida 2005 offers all these experiences and more! Our local writers have found the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare you for a journey unforgettable experiences. Before you leave be for this magical destination, sure to pack your Fodor's guide to ensure you don't miss a thing.
The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best —"Fodor's guides are saturated with information."
-New compact trim size make these guides even more portable
-Two-color interior design makes it easier to find the information you need
-Fodor's Choice Ratings flag must-see sights and hidden treasures
-Hotel and restaurant reviews cover all budgets
-Plus multi-day itineraries to help you build the right trip for you and/or your family
Customer Reviews:
Solid Guidebook to make the most of your trip.......2005-02-16
The 2005 edition adds another 50 pages of info over the previous edition. Hotels, restaurants and admission prices can change rapidly in the area, so it's worthwhile to have the most recent guidebook.
I live in the area and count on the Fodor's to give the detail essential to a successful excursion with our visitors. There is soooo much to see at Disney and around the area that you will miss a lot if you don't have a good guidebook like this. I like the "Strategies" highlights that give the best times to visit certain attractions and the "Need a Break" inserts that clue you into quick, but satisfying snack places.
They also mark in the margin "Fodor's Choice" to help you find some of the best activities.
A nice guide book with not so many pages.......2004-12-26
I have a plan to travel Orlando this winter, and decided to buy a book about Orlando.
There were so many books about Orlando. Some gave very detailed information, but they were very thick and heavy.
The most important information you need for Orlando is which ride to visit, which parades to see, when to visit where, how to order all the attractions.
This book gives all these information about Orlando and light enough to carry during the trip.
Book Description
At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt’s harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth.
The River of Doubt—it is a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. Indians armed with poison-tipped arrows haunt its shadows; piranhas glide through its waters; boulder-strewn rapids turn the river into a roiling cauldron.
After his humiliating election defeat in 1912, Roosevelt set his sights on the most punishing physical challenge he could find, the first descent of an unmapped, rapids-choked tributary of the Amazon. Together with his son Kermit and Brazil’s most famous explorer, Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon, Roosevelt accomplished a feat so great that many at the time refused to believe it. In the process, he changed the map of the western hemisphere forever.
Along the way, Roosevelt and his men faced an unbelievable series of hardships, losing their canoes and supplies to punishing whitewater rapids, and enduring starvation, Indian attack, disease, drowning, and a murder within their own ranks. Three men died, and Roosevelt was brought to the brink of suicide. The River of Doubt brings alive these extraordinary events in a powerful nonfiction narrative thriller that happens to feature one of the most famous Americans who ever lived.
From the soaring beauty of the Amazon rain forest to the darkest night of Theodore Roosevelt’s life, here is Candice Millard’s dazzling debut.
Customer Reviews:
INCREDIBLE READ!!!!.......2007-10-21
What an incredible book, this is one from the moment I started reading I could not put down. BUY THE BOOK you will love it!!!
What an Adventure.......2007-10-18
What a great book. It is amazing to me that in the face of all the danger and near death experiences, these men continued to behave in the most civilized manor. Very inspiring for me.
river of doubt.......2007-10-06
This book was great, if you like adventure, exploration, or teddy roosevelt this is the book for you.
not boaring at all this book is awsome
A Gripping Tale of Men of Character.......2007-09-21
Oh, for a President who had even one tenth of the character and integrity of the Teddy Roosevelt portrayed in this book. This is a real-life version of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, but the central figure never loses his sense of dedication and honor. Although there is plenty of suspense, even horror, in the story, I found it to be ultimately quite inspiring.
Awesome.......2007-09-20
This book went into so much detail about TR's expedition in Brazil that is hardly mentioned in other books on his life. And what a story it is! I heartily recommend it to anyone.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Weekly Standard, published by Thomson Gale on January 15, 2007. The length of the article is 712 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The Standard Reader.(The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey)(Book review)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication:
The Weekly Standard (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 15, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 12
Issue: 17
Page: NA
Article Type: Book review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Product Description
A non-fiction narrative of Roosevelt's descent of an unmapped tributary of the Amazon that many refused to believe his accomplishment.
Average customer rating:
- Surprises You
- One of my favorite books because
- Courage and Character
- Whimsical clichés about sick children, but no real depth
- Please ! don't let this one go unread.
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If I Get to Five: What Children Can Teach Us About Courage and Character (Living Planet Book)
Fred Epstein , and
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ASIN: 0805075178 |
Book Description
If I Get to Five is a one-of-a-kind book by a one-of-a-kind human being. The medical world knows him as Fred Epstein,M.D., the neurosurgeon who pioneered life-saving procedures for previously inoperable tumors in children. His patients and their families know him simply as Dr. Fred, the 'miracle man' who has extended them both a healing hand and an open heart. Throughout his career Epstein's young patients have been his most important teachers and trusted guides. They are children who-often by sheer force of will-have refused to relinquish life and all its gifts. In this inspiring book, these children teach us the lessons we all need to learn in order to live life to the fullest-lessons about seizing the moment and facing our deepest fears, about embracing the joy and wonder of everyday life. Most of all, they teach lessons about uncommon courage-the courage to do what's hardest, to believe in what we don't understand, to love without boundaries. If I Get to Five takes us inside a world unlike any other, from the high-stakes, high-tech operating room where life and death are separated by a heartbeat to the sickrooms and recovery rooms where parents discover the limits and power of their faith. But most compelling of all is the journey inside the hearts, minds, and souls of the wisest children you will ever encounter. No one who reads this remarkable book will ever look at children-or adversity-in the same way.
Customer Reviews:
Surprises You.......2007-02-16
I had to read this for a class. Thing is, I went in thinking it was too fluffy and idealistic. But for some reason I couldn't stop reading, and when I was half way through it I realized that I was actually being affected by the readings. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys inspirational stories, who are going through hard times with a medically fragile child, or who need to be reminded why they got into the health profession in the first place. He writes about many of his patients, the lessons each one taught him about life, how he deals with pain and loss, and explains medical jargon. I enjoyed this book and would gladly recommend it to anyone who asked about it.
One of my favorite books because.......2005-06-01
your heart feels every emotion. You can read this book in one day you will not want to put it down. Page to page you want to know what is going to happen to Dr. Fred. Not often can learn of someones struggles, and ask the hard qusetions to yourself. The "whys" in this man's life are hard to understand. Until you know that to him living is enough. This book will make you laugh, cry, never want to give up.
Courage and Character.......2004-12-15
During the summer or 2004, I was at a junction in my professional path where I found myself in desperate need of encouraging words. I went into the hospital bookstore and found this. The book is simple, the narrative is not as flamboyant as John Stone's "In the Country of Hearts", but it strikes a chord, confirming a fact that we already know to be true: children are much more capable of opening their hearts and minds than adults. To capture the stories of these patients requires a man of courage and character, and I get the feeling that it's exactly what makes Fred Epstein a very special man, and physician.
On a side note, this book was instrumental in finding a neurosurgeon for my niece's classmate. I had just read the book, and gave it to my mother to read. Just two weeks after she got the book, we heard that this little girl had a tumor and had been flown to see some specialists in Miami. After communicating with that family, they were able to get a consult from Dr. Epstein, and she is now recovering, although her prognosis still remains uncertain.
Whimsical clichés about sick children, but no real depth.......2004-09-23
Fred Epstein is some sort of folk-hero of a man: Moved by righteous anger to battle against the evil cancers that threaten the lives of innocents, he performs miracles, curing "inoperable" tumours in his bespoke Neverneverland kids hospital.
Whilst parents of a sick child may find solace or interest here, this book (and I appreciate that this view will be unpopular) did nothing for me.
The narrative reads across between a religio-medical manifesto and a self-help book. For every hundred words of anecdote about a child who fought cancer, there's another hundred of pop-philosophising. There are glimpses of the children's brilliance, and one can appreciate the resilience that Epstein is trying to convey, but there is just too little detail here to do more than produce a colour-wash of feeling. It is this that fails to portray the depth of the situation, as any parent could easily empathise and little more understanding is offered by this book. Rather than giving a true insight into the life of a paediatric neurosurgeon, or any more than a superficial glimpse into the lives of his patients and their parents, this comes across as a pseudo-religious pick and mix of ideas, faith and assertions set against a candy-floss coated spiel about the courage, pluck and strength of children.
Whilst there are undoubtedly some amazing stories here - not least Epstein's own as he struggles to recover from a brain haemorrhage with the distant hope of operating again - they are glossed over and whilst any individual's story would be fascinating, these soundbite snippets and clichés form an insubstantial whole that fails to do justice to Epstein or his charges.
Epstein is clearly writing from the heart and to not enjoy his book is not to denigrate the fantastic work he has done for these children and their parents. For parents of children facing surgery, this may be a valuable support and readers who appreciate this tale might also like Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie. For other readers interested in the processes of treatment and recovery, but not fans of the self-help platform, I recommend instead McCrum's My Year Off, Diamond's C: Because Cowards Get Cancer Too and Vertosick's When the Air Hits the Brain.
dr_sasp
Please ! don't let this one go unread........2004-02-06
I read alot but I don't write that many reviews. This one has to have one. I was ok for the first one hundred pages but on page 108 something happened and I read the rest in tears. This is a great lesson for parents of sick children and parents of seemingly well children. After all we as parents are not given any promises. I checked this copy out from the library but I want my own copy to make notes in and keep on my own shelf. I plan on letting my friends and family in on this little gem.
Book Description
A step-by-step guide to inexpensive start-up and successful, profitable operation.
The best, most complete book on this topic available!
Comes with a complete set of professional pet-sitting forms (Service Agreement/Contract, Service Schedule, and Thank You/Evaluation forms, as well as complete directions).
This is a completely revised version of the book first published in 1997. It is an eBook in PDF format (forms are also in PDF format for easy printing).
Download Description
A step-by-step guide to inexpensive startup and successful, profitable operation. Many people believe this to be the best, most complete book on this topic available! Practical material that helps new sitters get started quickly and correctly, and current sitters improve and grow their businesses. This is the revised, 2002 edition of this popular book. ***" 'Start Your Own Professional Pet-Sitting Service' by David Grass, in my opinion is one of the most complete guides to pet sitting I have read in a long time. There is a lot more to this business than just putting a leash on a dog and walking it. There are many aspects that David covered very well in an easy to read format." -Lorraine Zdeb, President of The National Association Of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) ***"I am impressed by your book - very comprehensive and better than others I have seen." -Ian White of Pet-Sitters.Biz
Customer Reviews:
Good basic info in some areas, lacking in others.......2004-10-31
It was hard to decide between a 3 and a 4 stars on this one. So I'll give it a 4 and focus on the negative points. I bought the ebook 18 months ago when I started. All of the info in it I'd already read online so I didn't learn much new, even though I had just started researching.
It does have good beginning knowledge sections on things like hiring employees, and licenses you may need to research (as well as things like finding out about sales tax). But there is some wasted space with things like the history of why the book was written, and why he doesn't use the term "Owner", and Napps "code of ethics" (I can read that online if I'm that interested!). It also has many opinions that I just don't agree with or are just not true. For example, he says never advertise that you are a pet sitter on your car or clothing while you are pet sitting as it may attract theives to a vacant home. I don't advertise because I do feel it is a personal risk (I'm a small woman), especially in the evenings. But police and security experts have consistantly reported that having advertising pet sitters or other service people like maids come to your home while you are gone are deterents to crime, 1 because there is probably/maybe a dog or 2 in the home and 2 because people are coming and going at unknown times. Plus people do have sitters come to walk dogs while they are still home, and if they can afford a pet sitter they may have a security system. So long story short, you have to know both sides and make your own decision. Also, it's his opinion to collect payment after service. This is obviously an option, but frankly many more sitters require payment before service (especially if they've been burned a few times) and he should probably state that type of "more usual practice" info in the book with his opinion. And to say that pet sitting businesses are more sucessful than other businesses - that is sure not true in my state if not everywhere - pet setting startups fail very very often (mostly, in my opinion, because they don't put in a big enough investment the first year - WAY more needed then the $1000 he says you can easily start with!!!), usually in the first 8-14 months. There is MUCH more competition and economy problems now then when he started and his completely positive outlook needs a MAJOR dose of today's market realism.
The book is a little outdated also in other areas. Technology can make your job so much easier, especially if you learn to use more and more as you grow with your business. But the book is pretty limited to using index cards to record payments, and says that cell phones are "optional" but that a business line is a good idea. I'm not sure where he lives, but a cell phone is about 50-80% cheaper than adding a business line in my area. Plus I can get weather, mapquest directions, and take pictures of pet destruction and other home emergencies found in seconds. This and hundreds of other programs & internet sites make my time spent organizing & doing paperwork less than 1/4 what it was before I started using the computer.
So I'd like to see him add a few sections on personal safety, and computer programs from marketing to financial to word processing (not just "works is a good simple suite") to internet web resources, & web site directories, & search engines, & message boards. And then also update the sections on available organizations, insurance available, and pet sitting options and what most other sitters "do". Basically I'd just like to see a little more research than just the author's personal experience from years ago.
And I was disappointed at that price that no forms were included. 29.99 or 39.99 more for the 3 forms he does offer is way too much, especially since one is just the thankyou letter! There are way better form packages available on ebay from a few simple forms for $5 to a comprehensive customizable package with info & recipies & the kitchen sink for $29.45.
All in all he has alot of good information to make you think, and to guide you to realize most of the elements of pet sitting you need to think about and do more research on. But it really could use some helpful tools, technology, and updating in order to compete with information you can find free on many other sources on the internet. And this book is certainly only for total beginners - other than the "employees" section, I would not refer to this book for help with any new issues that have come up over the past 18 months.
not as good as I expected.......2003-05-05
If you research petsitting via the internet (as anyone would to find out what licenses, insurance, etc. one would need/want in their area) it renders this product useless. What do you get for ... One CD which contains a description of petsitting and what it entails, some suggestions on advertising, and some sample forms (basically, a standard contract and visit sheet, both of which may be found on the internet for free). Personally, I found the info and "forms" to be grossly overpriced. Visit the NAPPS website and save yourself the money.
Excellent work!!.......2003-01-06
I would recommend this CD along with its printable business forms to anyone considering starting a pet-sitting operation. The material is informative, easy to read, amusing, and comprehensive. In fact, I think it's the only CD/book a person really needs for starting such a service for animals and their caregivers. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, David Grass.
Books Prefered.......2002-11-30
Had a lot of good information, but I thought it was too pricey. I wish I had bought a book instead. I ended up copying every page, because it was more convenient to pick up a book than going to the computer all the time.
Book Description
Kitty Bartholomew, a high-visibility personality who hosted her own HGTV program and is about to star in a knitting show on the DIY network, launches a brand-new series bound to delight knitters everywhere. Features an intro by DIY host Carol Duvall.
Through the years, Kitty Bartholomew has developed her own special approach to knitting that's fast, easy, and chic. In her first book ever, she presents her secrets for making the always-popular sweater. Kitty has an exceptional gift for altering a standard pattern--for deciding that if a pattern asks for "knit one, purl one," it can just as well be made with "knit one, purl two" ribbing to create something singular. And she explains exactly how she makes those decisions, how to size a sweater so it fits absolutely perfectly, and how to combine the newest colors, textures, and qualities yarns for a one-of-a-kind creation. Knitters will particularly appreciate how simple these sweaters are to make: Kitty has featured her most basic designs here, including boatneck pullovers; a colorful Carnival sweater that mixes luscious red and purple; tweed cardigans; and a denim turtleneck with a twisted braid. Throughout, Kitty includes lots of invaluable "tip boxes" with extra information knitters will want to know.
Customer Reviews:
NO Yardage, NO Kidding.......2007-08-06
Saw this book in Barnes and Noble and ordered it from you but I evidently did not look at it closely enough. I am an experienced knitter but not one that can figure out yardage probably because I have never had to do it. My local knit shop could possibly help but I would much rather the amounts were listed in the pattern. Also Kitty looks like she is a size 4 and is used to designing sweaters for herself but come on give the rest of us a break. I am a size 8-10 but since these designs are made to fit exactly to buy expensive yarn combos and not know how much to buy is asking for trouble and a waste of good money.
You figure it out!.......2007-06-21
Kitty Bartholomew's, "Designer Knitting," has wonderful pictures that
clearly allow you to appreciate the completed design. What is appalling
is that Bartholomew does not indicate the amount of yarn required for any of the many sweater options given. In addition, most of the patterns have a guage of 2.5-3 stitches with the yarn doubled. Completely frustrating! Bartholomew admits she isn't sure about the yarn because much of it was bought in the United States or abroad. Although the designs and use of color are pleasing - I think presenting a pattern book without giving a clue as to how to figure out how much yarn you need is irresponsible. This is the worse pattern book I have every purchased. In addition, she suggests finding someone and paying to have the sweater finished b/c she doesn't like sewing the seams.
E. LeFebvre
Eye Candy Only, NO Charts, NO yardage, No graphs.......2006-12-06
I am so disapointed in this book when it came in the mail. This book is strictly eye candy. There is no functional good way to come up with yardage, and she supplies absolutely none. There are no charts, No graphs for assistance, unless you are an expert knitter, and even then you are left guessing. How can you name a book "Designer Knitting" when when there are no designs or graphs? I would not recommend this book, period.
This will become a classic to own........2006-11-04
Kitty Bartholomew has put together a lovely collection of sweaters that will inspire just about everyone to want to knit at least one. Her designs are classic, guaranteed to work for every figure and every age group. I especially love her discussion of the type of yarns to consider and her encouragement that you can knit something that fits! I plan on knitting several of her designs, and can hardly wait to take her book with me to my local yarn shop and get started. I have purchased several pattern books recently, and this is one I keep coming back to again and again for inspiration.
Caveat Emptor.......2006-02-21
This is a beautifully laid out book, and I loved Kitty's chioces of yarn combinations. However,I was quite surprised and disappointed to see that no yardage requirements were given. This is the first knitting book that I have purchased that omits these, and I own over a hundred of them.
Amazon.com
The very act of vegetable gardening implies a sense of care for the environment and a desire to control one's own food supply. There is a huge diversity of vegetable varieties available, but many gardeners have been limited by seed supplies to a few industrially engineered hybrids that lack the natural pest tolerance, environmental range, and flavor of the older types. In recent years, however, a cadre of dedicated natural gardeners such as Sue Stickland have begun to spread the word about heirloom vegetables that used to be grown by farmers and home gardeners, their seeds preserved by organizations such as the Seed Savers Exchange. Heirloom Vegetables offers a wealth of historical and practical information about these varieties: where to find them, how to select the right ones for your garden, and how to ensure their growth. It's an excellent addition to any serious gardener's library.
Customer Reviews:
one of my favorites for gardening inspiration.......2007-02-02
An absolutely beautiful book - the photographs are simply gorgeous. This is the book that got me started with heirloom gardening. The glorious diversity of heirlooms leaps off the pages. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, corn, beets, kales, winter squashes, and potatoes are all presented in a rainbow of colors, shapes and sizes on double page spreads.
The author starts with an overview of the origins of different food crops, followed by an explanation of the importance of preserving in the face on increasing pressure for uniformity. She continues with a discussion of gene banks and seed saving organizations and basic seed saving techniques for the home gardener. The book ends with a directory of heirloom vegetable varieties and a resources list to help you find them, as well as references for further reading. Every time I open this book I am inspired. To me this is what home gardening is all about - unique and delicious food grown in a sustainable manner.
BTW, I agree with the reviewer who said it could use updating in the resource section, but a quick online search using the names in the resources gets you where you need to go, if the company/organization has a website (some still do not).
An Essential Guide for those compelled to grow and preserve heirloom varieties of vegetables........2006-04-29
One of the first things that appealed to me about this book was that it's reach of heirloom varieties is not limited to that of the American bio-region, but also includes the European, former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa.
The format of the book affords the reader the option of reading straight through or making quick reference. Color photography and nice illustrations complement the text.
I especially like the 2nd part of the book which is a comprehensive directory that also includes a resource listing of seed suppliers. Since this book was published in 1998, it would definitely benefit with an update to its resource listings (since some lack website references).
While the directory listings a summary for each vegetable of the general growing conditions necessary, it would be a significant enhancement if the directory listed the specific requirements for each heirloom variety (e.g. pH, temperatures, etc.) It should be noted that the specific germination periods are given for each variety.
Overall, this book served me well in sending me down the path of Heirloom Vegetable Gardening. It provides a solid foundation of historical information/data as well as presenting the argument for preserving the heritage varities.
Amazon.com
"This story deals almost exclusively with Leonardo the man and Leonardo the scientist," admits British science writer Michael White, who touches only lightly on da Vinci's more famous achievements as a painter. Providing an extensive analysis of Leonardo's notebooks, White argues persuasively that da Vinci (1752-1519) made important discoveries in the fields of optics and anatomy, particularly the anatomy of the eye, and "worked methodically and with scientific precision centuries ahead of his time in the areas of geology and geography." Only the notebooks' dispersal in pieces across Europe after Leonardo's death, White believes, kept him from being properly acknowledged as "the first scientist." Informative though these sections are, it's the author's multilayered portrait of da Vinci the man that really fascinates. He was intensely social and charming, gaining the friendship and patronage of many of the great Renaissance princes while enjoying the companionship of beautiful boys. Yet Leonardo could also be distrustful and defensive, frequently expressing a jaundiced view of human nature that may have originated in the stigma of his illegitimate birth and a frightening court trial on charges of sodomy when he was 23. Without indulging in overly reductive psychologizing, White suggests that da Vinci's "almost psychotic need to discover, to unravel the mystery of life" had its roots in personal experiences that taught Leonardo to be wary of his fellow man and to seek his deepest fulfillment in the life of the mind. --Wendy Smith
Book Description
Celebrated as a painter and engineer during his lifetime, Leonardo da Vinci was the very embodiment of the Renaissance Man. But few guessed at the extent of his scientific investigations and experiments. In a vast collection of notebooks (over 5,000 pages), Leonardo meticulously detailed his research on optics, mechanics, astronomy, and anatomy. He kept his findings hidden for fear his ideas would be stolen. Had they been shared or published, they might well have changed the course of scientific discovery, for they prefigured the work of Newton, Galileo, and Kepler. Instead, after Leonardo's death, his papers were lost to the world for nearly 200 years; some were never recovered.Using newly available documents, Michael White illuminates Leonardo's groundbreaking achievements and weaves together the elements of his life and times-his unhappy childhood, his homosexuality, his relationship with everyone from Machiavelli to Cesare Borgia to Michelangelo. Leonardo: The First Scientist restores to this Renaissance genius the place he deserves in the pantheon of modern discovery.
Customer Reviews:
Avoid!.......2007-07-19
This is a book which is not worthy of serious consideration. Author, tries to darken middle ages even rinascimento as possible for the sake of lighthen the star of Leonardo. There are many unconvincing and poor arguments(!). I do not mention its non-exist, bad bad bad bibliography scattered in notes. Throughout the book, the author shows his ignorance of renaissance, science, art, middle age, history of since etc.
da Vinci's science.......2006-04-16
Known as one of the most advanced thinkers of his time, Leonardo da Vinci explored technology, art and science much beyond that of his era and surroundings. This novel delves into Leonardo as a scientist, his struggles, accomplishments and overwhelming amount of knowledge in more fields than any one scientist should endeavor into. From a rough childhood to the center of Renaissance society, Leonardo's life isn't easy, whether he is dealing with societal pressures, or just pressures he puts on himself, there is always something occupying his mind. He defies popular belief in his works in anatomy, making over 30 successful dissections accompanied by thousands of detailed and nearly perfect diagrams and drawings of the human body and its systems. In exploring technology, he diagrams countless ideas for flying machines and military warfare, most of which were years ahead of the current technology and technology in centuries to come. From his struggles in homosexuality to his coded notebooks, Michael White explores the lasting influence that Leonardo da Vinci has had on his society and ours as well.
Michael White wanted to make known the scientific side of da Vinci, emphasizing not only his artistic abilities, but his scientific knowledge as well. Many people disagree about Leonardo's role as the world's very first scientist, but White defines what he believes it to be: "...exploration, it is questioning, it is the application of imagination, it is analysis." As Leonardo fulfills all these requirements and more, White finds him to be the first true scientist. White's fascination with this man is understandable, stemming from Leonardo's knowledge, ambition and overall figure of humanity. If you enjoy thrilling stories about knights, thieves and princesses, don't read this book, but if you enjoy the thrill of discovery, passion and overwhelming genius of a man, jump right in. This book is a clue to why humanity and society is shaped the way it is today, and why science in the 21st century is advanced as it is, all influenced by one man: Leonardo da Vinci.
Da Vinci was a bit like the Mona Lisa........2006-03-01
It is appropriate that Leonardo da Vinci painted the woman with the mysterious smile, the Mona Lisa, perhaps the most famous painting of all time. For just as there are many questions surrounding the subject matter, and why she is smiling (or is she), and whether her eyes follow you around the room, there are also many unknowns surrounding the artist. He is an enigma himself, so THAT is why he painted the Mona Lisa.
Michael White gives a broad picture of the artist, and how he broke new ground, both within art, and also is his investigations. Da Vinci also managed to bridge science and art. He was able to see science from the perspective of an artist, to visualise art with the mindset of a scientist, and capture architecture from the viewpoint of the artist-scientist.
White postulates that da Vinci was the first scientist. However, we have to remember that the 21st century of a `scientist' is very different to that in 15th century Florence, or Milan. There was still the scope for individuals to engage in an all-embracing approach, so the body of knowledge was sufficiently small as to be able to be grasped. Furthermore, this was so for about 250 years after da Vinci's time.
Da Vinci was a very talented man, and it is tempting to question what he might have achieved if he had been more focussed. He tended to flit from one thing to another, leaving many incomplete projects, and ever two or three books-in-the-writing, not finished, or indeed, hardly started. White does bring out the breadth of the tasks that the Italian tackled, correctly giving emphasis to some achievements not generally known.
However, whereever you look, there is the enigma that is da Vinci. He is a peculiar mix of old and new, showing in his studies of eyes that he was far ahead of his time. Da Vinci goes some of the way towards the notion of blood circulating, but not quite making the impossible leap that William Harvey was to make over 200 years later. What White does is show that da Vinci was one of the first to systematically investigate, to move from the cognitive to the experimental scientist.
Da Vinci left a huge collection of notes, drawings and "scribblings", and these were firstly lost for over 200 years, and then dissipated into private collections and archives. It is always possible to show tenuous links with hindsight. Maybe there is some over eagerness on White's part, but da Vinci was a marvellous man.
Geology, rain, water and clouds, anatomy, fortifications and machinery of war, canals, and the list goes on. He was forward looking, and many have claimed that da Vinci invented helicopters, and other diverse items of machinery. Yet he was steeped in the Aristotelian view of the four elements; earth, air, fire and water. He also did not spend large amounts of time investigating cosmology, as many of his age did.
Da Vinci had feet of clay, yet a very freethinking mind. He used science to aid him, to help him as an artist. His only published work, a book on art gives views ahead of his time, on distance, perspective, light and shade. That in itself would have made the man worthy of praise. He also continued to study, to both aid his art, and for scientific discovery. The fact that he was a bridge between the old and the new is another facet of the enigma that is Leonardo.
Peter Morgan, Bath, UK (morganp@supanet.com)
Leonardo: The First Scientist.......2005-09-16
I find this book very aweinspiring. It reveals the
unpublished works of this great artist, engineer
and scientist.
highly biased.......2005-05-10
Michael White does not seem to be a researcher in history of science. It seems he picks up some books written by historians and selects what he wants according to his own personal views and contemporary marketing needs (he wants to sell books). This is not serious. For me, reading this book was a waste of time and a waste of money.
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Leonardo: The First Scientist
Michael White
Manufacturer: Abacus (UK)
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Ireland Where Our Roots Go Deep
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