It turns out that reading this particular thing did not miraculously transform me into a genius. How about that? I had high hopes that by delving into this reading material, I would gain some sort of extraordinary intellectual prowess. But alas, it seems that was not the case.

Perhaps it was my own expectations that were too high. Maybe I was hoping for a quick fix, a magical key to unlock the doors of genius. However, as it stands, I am still the same old me, with the same level of intelligence as before.

But that doesn't mean that reading is a waste of time. It has surely broadened my knowledge and exposed me to new ideas. It just didn't have the earth-shattering effect that I was anticipating. So, I guess I'll just have to keep on reading and learning, hoping that eventually, some of that genius will rub off on me. Go figure.

The book belongs to those that focus on self-building.

It initially talks about the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and his creations on multiple and different levels of intelligence. The book attempts, through seven stages divided according to Leonardo da Vinci's way of thinking, to stimulate us to think like his creative approach.

The book is beautiful. Although I am tired of this type of books due to my extensive reading in this field, what attracted me to read this book was the expectation of something different from the usual self-building books. I was bored in some parts and enjoyed others. Especially, I enjoyed the details I learned about Leonardo da Vinci's works and inventions between painting, sculpture, music, anatomy, and his interest in science besides his interest in art. He combined inventions or characteristics of thinking through the right and left hemispheres of the brain, in addition to his eagerness to learn and know more and understand the phenomena of nature, which created his genius.

The chapter that talks about painting is beautiful for beginners, with several exercises that help in better painting.

This is a beautiful book for those who want to read in this field, and I recommend it.

I recently embarked on a first reading of this remarkable book, deliberately setting aside the exercises for a future date.

Right from the start, it has been an eye-opening experience, teaching me the invaluable art of seeing things from a different perspective.

It has truly inspired me to not only observe but also deeply think and feel the experiences that unfold in my daily life.

I have always grappled with the desire for control and the need for immediate answers. However, this book has made me understand that it is perfectly acceptable to have more questions than answers.

It has shown me that relinquishing control and allowing things to take their natural course can lead to unexpected and wonderful outcomes.

The author not only provides practical ways to apply the Da Vinci principles in our personal lives but also in our professional lives.

If you are a parent, there are also insights and strategies that can be applied to your life as a caregiver.

I am truly looking forward to revisiting this book frequently and engaging with the exercises to ignite creativity in every aspect of my life.

I firmly believe that this book has the potential to transform the way we view the world and approach our daily lives.

This book is truly amazing.

I am at a loss for words to describe just how much I have learned from the history of the master Leonardo da Vinci.

Not only that, but it has also been of great help to me in getting to know myself better through his Davician principles.

Moreover, it has awakened in me a great desire to know more about art and to visit Italy

2021-08-15

Michael J Gelb has written an excellent book based on seven principles he uncovered after researching Leonardo.

The first principle is Curiosita or Curiosity, which emphasizes the importance of continuously seeking learning and knowledge throughout life.

Dimostrazione means letting experiments be your teacher, learning from mistakes, and testing different approaches or hypotheses.

Sensazione encourages you to develop your senses and truly see the world.

Sfumato, which literally means “smoke,” asks you to embrace uncertainty, ambiguity, and paradox, and accept grey areas.

The principle of Art/Science倡导using the whole brain, incorporating both linear and non-linear thinking.

Corporalita/Body focuses on ambidextery, grace, fitness, and health.

Finally, Connessione/Connection views everything as systems and the connections between them.

Freud said, “We respect him by learning from him.” Tony Buzan recommended the book by saying, “Buy it. Read it. Live it!” This book offers valuable insights into the principles that made Leonardo great and can inspire us to reach our own potential.

Leonardo da Vinci is a figure of great historical significance, and learning about his interesting history is truly enjoyable.

However, when the author's suggested exercises for accessing certain parts of our intelligence were interspersed, it didn't quite have the same appeal for me. While the ideas were not bad, I was more eager to hear in-depth details specifically about da Vinci.

Maybe if I had had a better understanding of what to anticipate, I would have found more enjoyment in it.

On a positive note, the audio book reader did an outstanding job, bringing the content to life with clarity and expression.

Overall, despite the slight disappointment with the inclusion of the exercises, the exploration of da Vinci's history through the audio book was still a worthwhile experience.

It makes me wonder what other fascinating aspects of da Vinci's life and work I might discover if I delved deeper into the subject.

Perhaps in the future, I'll seek out more resources that focus solely on the remarkable achievements and contributions of this extraordinary man.

Leonardo da Vinci is a genius in human history, and he is the first page in the history of the Renaissance. Tony Buzan, a famous world expert on the brain, nerves, and human development, chose him as the greatest genius personality who could utilize the intellectual abilities of human beings to the highest level. This book is not a personal biography of Leonardo da Vinci, but an intellectual and mental biography of this genius. During the research, Michael brought out the golden eggs that Leonardo used until he was able to paint eternal paintings and invent innovative and multiple inventions that were not implemented until hundreds of years later. He was also able to reach conclusions that preceded all the scientists of his era and were not adopted until decades later. He invented the submarine, the helicopter, the bridges, the cannons, and reached the conclusion with his theory that the sun is the center of the universe before Copernicus, gravity before Newton, and evolution before Darwin... He was able to do all that because he used all his intellectual abilities, including the ability to learn, the passion for knowledge, the use of the principle of doubt in the prevailing facts in his era, and the verification of the truth of things through proof and the constant use of the questions: What? Why? And how? All that with a full awareness and sensitivity to the things around him, observing them with a sharp eye, a sensitive ear, and a dexterous hand, and a persistent search that made him experiment with everything, observe and imagine the world around him, connect between things and some of them, perceive the contradictions and understand them. Before he started to draw on any canvas, he would conduct a detailed dissection of the things he was going to paint. Before painting the birds, he would look at them and study the movement of their wings as they soared or dived in the air... This book leads us to deal with the universe as Leonardo dealt with it. How do we develop our senses so that our vision sharpens, our hearing becomes more acute, and our senses become more refined to see the universe with a new eye... How can we have the joy of wonder and a series of questions like those of children whose curiosity has not yet been killed by the boredom of routine and the shackles of blind tradition? How can we balance between science and art, between the spirit and the mind and the body? When will we stop killing the superfluous in us?... The world is the world as Leonardo saw it, but we need the eyes of Leonardo to look at it again, as Dmitri Merezhkovsky said, Leonardo is like a man who wakes up from sleep while the others are still drowning in their slumber.

Leonardo Da Vinci is widely regarded as the biggest genius to have ever walked on our planet. His wellspring of inspiration seemed limitless.

His contributions in both art and science were astonishingly ahead of his time by a full 5 centuries. It is only through the marvels of modern technologies that we are able to truly appreciate and understand the depth of his work.

This excellent book delves into 7 Principles. Firstly, Curiosita, which emphasizes the importance of curiosity and passion for learning. We should constantly ask ourselves, "Am I asking the right questions?"

Secondly, Dimostrazione, highlighting the value of learning by doing and through experiences and mistakes. We need to figure out how to enhance our ability to learn from these.

Sensazione is about training all our senses every day, including sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and intuition. We should have a plan for sharpening our senses as we grow older.

Sfumato teaches us that uncertainty, the unknown, and paradox are our friends when it comes to being creative and innovative. We must find ways to strengthen our ability to hold creative tension and embrace the major paradoxes of life.

Arte/Scienza promotes whole brain thinking, combining imagination and logic, the artist and the scientist. We should reflect on whether we are balancing Arte and Scienza in both our personal and professional lives.

Corporalita focuses on the cultivation of ambidexterity, fitness, and poise. We need to consider how to nurture the balance of body and mind.

Finally, Connessione reminds us that everything in our universe is like one quantum system. We should explore how all the above elements fit together and how everything is connected to everything else.

At the end of the book, it offers the basics of how to draw and paint, so you can embark on the journey of becoming a true artist.

A good book from the practical and procedural perspective, and this is the basis of da Vinci's philosophy in science and knowledge based on experimentation!

At the end of each chapter, you will find yourself with self-evaluation and a practical assignment. I think those who ignore them will not gain much benefit, while those who apply them will benefit a great deal. Da Vinci lacks the spiritual and aesthetic aspect, so the author failed to highlight that despite his veneration of Leonardo. This also did not please me.. I liked the third - and last - part where the author presented techniques for drawing and the relationship between drawing and every technique to public life. I was surprised by this part and liked it. Especially the talk about shadow and light and the contrast in life.

This book provides valuable insights and practical applications that can enhance one's understanding and skills in various fields. It encourages readers to think critically and apply the knowledge they have learned. However, the lack of emphasis on the spiritual and aesthetic aspects may be a drawback for some. Overall, it is a worthwhile read for those interested in da Vinci's works and ideas.

A book that requires a certain level of awareness from the reader... It is good for those who have never read a book in their lives... Which means it is at the beginner's stage.

This kind of book serves as an excellent introduction to the world of reading. It presents ideas and concepts in a simple and accessible way, making it easy for new readers to understand and engage with.

It can help to build their confidence and激发 their interest in reading further. By starting with a book at this level, they can gradually progress to more complex and challenging works as their skills and knowledge grow.

Moreover, such books often have engaging stories or interesting information that can capture the reader's attention and keep them hooked from start to finish.

They can provide entertainment while also educating and enlightening the reader.

In conclusion, a book at the beginner's stage is an important tool for introducing new readers to the joys and benefits of reading.

Leonardo da Vinci is an extraordinary figure. His achievements are so remarkable that any praise might seem insufficient.

He was a painter, leaving behind masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. He was also an anatomist, reaching the pinnacle by dissecting the human body and horse from various perspectives. As an inventor, he came up with numerous ingenious devices such as the single-lens camera, submarine, and machine gun. He was a talented architect with famous works like the cathedral in Milan and the French king's palace. Additionally, he was a sculptor, and the only surviving work to this day is the three bronze statues on the north door of the Baptistery in Florence.

It's quite a difficult choice, but in the top 10 of the greatest geniuses ranked by Tony Buzan and Raymond Keene, Leonardo da Vinci stands at the first position. (Followed by William Shakespeare, the pyramid builders, Van Goethe, Michaelangelo, Newton, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander the Great, Phidias, and Alber Einstein).

The scope of Leonardo da Vinci is simply astonishing. However, this book is not about his life. It is more practical, answering the question of "how to think" like him. It is based on Leonardo da Vinci's own manuscripts, some of which were bought back by Bill Gates for "research" at a price of over 30 million dollars!

The author, Michael J. Gelb, has revealed 7 fundamental principles for thinking like Leonardo da Vinci.

The first principle is curiosity. There are various ways to cultivate it, such as always asking questions (5W1H), carrying a notebook with you at all times to jot down anything, working on a specific topic, meditating, writing freely and then reviewing carefully, thinking about philosophical questions, looking for metaphors inspired by nature, imagining "what if" scenarios, and creating a personal vocabulary dictionary.

Curiosity is indeed the first foundation for creating a "renaissance" like Leonardo da Vinci's.

The second principle is verification. After acquiring a lot of knowledge through "curious questioning," Leonardo da Vinci verified it through his own experience. We can also verify our own understandings by asking questions about the origin of old beliefs, and then transforming them into new understandings. We should also view these understandings from three different perspectives: self-reflection, looking from a distance, and considering the views of others.

In summary, the principle of verification here is to find the basis of "views and understandings" from three sources: one's own experience, others, and the media, in order to "refute" or "confirm" one's own views and understandings. And we can use the "3D glasses" to look deeper into these "views and understandings."

Use the curious mind to ask questions, and then verify through experience. "Experience is the heart of wisdom."

The third principle is emotion (triggered by the five senses). Leonardo da Vinci believed that the senses are the "support" for intelligence. Vision is the highest, so painting is the greatest subject. Hearing is the second most important, so music is only second to painting. Leonardo da Vinci encouraged the improvement of all the senses: seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and tasting. He constantly trained the "senses" of his body.

We can train our vision mainly through imagination, such as imagining sounds, smells, sizes, etc. (Imagination is an excellent tool to connect all the senses). We can also visit museums and study classic paintings. To train our hearing, we can mainly listen to music, such as the masterpieces of classical music and the works of top composers in pop and jazz. We should also learn to distinguish different sounds and感受 the emotions and cultural and historical imprints in the music. To train our tactile and kinesthetic senses, we should pay attention to every touch, such as touching with our eyes closed, touching nature, and touching people. We can also think about a specific question, challenge, or problem, and assign it colors, shapes, and structures, and imagine its smell and taste.

In conclusion, the delicate perception of smell and taste may require waiting until one is old enough to evaluate, but the sharpness in vision, the love for colors, the perception of sounds, and the natural ability to comprehensively understand can be cultivated through activities such as painting, art, music, and daily contact with beauty. The practical thing to do is to look at the working environment again and ask oneself: what is the layout of the room like, what is the lighting like, what are the sounds, aesthetics, interior decoration, feng shui, and even the air like.

The integration of the senses is a characteristic of great scientific and artistic geniuses.

The fourth principle is ambiguity: accepting the ambiguity in the process of exploring knowledge. This part is a bit hazy and difficult to understand. The author suggests trusting intuition, but after reading the book "Think Fast and Slow," I don't quite believe it.

The fifth principle is art/science: combining the two hemispheres of the brain.

The sixth principle is physical training. Leonardo da Vinci highly valued the health and flexibility of the body. The process of building self-awareness begins with training the sixth sense: the sense of the body's movement. This sense is about mass, position, and movement. It tells us whether we are tense or relaxed, trapped or free! To maintain good health, we need to pay attention to diet and do aerobic exercises. To improve flexibility, we can train both hands and practice balance.

Here are some ways to train both hands: doing things in the opposite direction, using the non-dominant hand for various tasks like folding clothes, cutting food, brushing teeth, playing football with the non-dominant foot, practicing writing with the non-dominant hand, writing and drawing with both hands at the same time (one hand draws a circle and the other draws a triangle), and writing backward. Here are some ways to train balance: learning to juggle (with three balls), learning yoga, and learning to do things with the non-dominant hand.

The seventh principle is connection. The principle of connection is based on the curiosity of the first principle. We can think about how water evaporates from the ground into the air and how hail is formed. "Can a butterfly flapping its wings in Tokyo affect the weather in New York?" We can also remember Steve Jobs' words: "You can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust the dots somehow connecting in your future."

"Leonardo's seriousness led him to delve deep into the essence of everything, and his playfulness helped him make extremely interesting connections that had never been made before. The great Leonardo remained like a child throughout his life..."

Here are some of my own connections when reading this part. When reading a book, I guess whether someone can summarize it or not by looking at: the questions the book asks, the citations the book uses to answer and solve those questions, the conclusion the author draws, the new concepts mentioned, the connections between those concepts, the questions I have answered for myself, the relationship between humans and the universe, and the connection between the micro and the macro!

To practice the principle of connection, we should try to link things that are far apart. (We can see this kind of connection a lot in the comedy of Trường Giang). For example, is a monkey like a clock (in Trường Giang's comedy)? Is the Internet like the legs of an octopus? We should try to find the connection between laughter and knots, the tail of a pig and a bottle of wine, a mouse and a computer, a spiral staircase and curly hair, and juggling and a career.

If we already have the three foundations of "the working method of the two hemispheres of the brain," "8 types of intelligence," and "the thinking map," then we can say that we have grasped 50% of this book.

It is truly very inspiring.

Nevertheless, many things within it are overly explained.

If the author had simply chosen to go directly to the point, this book would have achieved far greater success and become more practical for readers.

After I completed reading it, I made the decision to listen to the summary and key action points via the app Mentorist.

This truly helped me to organize my thoughts and understand how I could effectively apply the recommendations in my own life.

It provided a clear framework and guidance, enabling me to better internalize the valuable lessons and put them into action.

The combination of reading the book and using the app's summary and key points was a beneficial approach that enhanced my learning experience and made the content more accessible and applicable.

Overall, it was a worthwhile endeavor that I believe could benefit many other readers as well.