Editorial Reviews

For example, to develop curiosity, one of the exercises has you ask people you respect to assess your strengths and weaknesses and to offer ways in which you could improve. Uncomfortable? Probably, for both parties. But if you're not curious about how others perceive you, you've closed off entire corridors leading toward self-knowledge and self-improvement. In the section on knowledge and experience, Gelb has you write down each new word you come across, along with its definition, and practice using it as often as you can. Da Vinci, he says, recorded 9,000 words this way. As Gelb notes in his introduction, this isn't a book that can be fully used up in a week or even a year; it could take 10 years to perform all these exercises. It would take months just to listen to the 10 greatest pieces of classical music he lists in the section on sensual refinement, and then listen to them played by different orchestras and conductors to distinguish subtle differences in interpretation. And, certainly, the simmeringly sensual recipes listed in that same section could lead to some very cozy evenings over the course of a lifetime. --Lou Schuler

Customer Reviews

Good Companion to Parent Book, 2008-05-26
by Leon E. Derrick

I bought this workbook along with the parent book, "How to think like Da vinci."

I truly enjoyed the parent book, and actually did some of the exercises (the 100 question one specifically). Some of the exercises seemed kind of contrived. If I had it to do over again, I would not buy the workbook, but would instead just buy a journal (as the book suggests) and record your creativity ideas there and do what exercises you desire out of the book and record the results in your journal. This way you are working in one journal.

I do not mean for this to take away from the Main book at all. This workbook seems to be more of a marketing device that a very useful too.

Leon

Wonderful treasure to share with the whole family!, 2007-03-11
by Ladyhawk Wright (Ten Mile, Tennessee)

I was looking for something to share with my daughter for her Home school projects but fell in love with this book and workbook for myself instead!
This is a wonderful book to thrill and inspire you to learn new things about yourself every day! Why rush through it?! It was meant to be savored slowly like wine and cheese so don't rush your way through it!
I AM a Leonardo da Vincian Thinker!

My organization now thinks like Leonardo, 2006-11-10
by Emily S. Reinach-lannan (Louisville, KY)

I bought this book and the companion workbook, read it, then had a presentation done for my professional organization of which I am the state president this year. It was smashing!

I recomend this to anyone who is interested in learning how to "think outside the box" and to really explore how to think and approach everyday things in a different manner.

These books lend themselves well to seminars for groups and for academia.

Great way to step back and relook your life, 2006-02-02
by Christopher N. Neetz (Florida)

At first I was skeptical but the workbook has turned out great. I have been using it on and off at times in my life when a lot of things are going on and I need a way to rethink about what I am really doing with my life. It may not be for everyone but for the few people who are ambitious or have lots of intrest, this book can help bring everything in perspective. It's not even that expensive. Also, it doubles as a journal if you don't care for the exercises.

Sad, 2003-02-23

This is very sad book with little merit. A perfect example of an author scamming the reading public. I wish there was some kind of publishing board that could review books and prohibit some from being published.