101 Things You Didn't Know about Da Vinci: Inventions, Intrigue, and Unfinished Works

Timed to coincide with the release of Walter Isaacson’s latest biography on the famous painter and inventor, as well as the latest thriller in Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code series, this book includes 101 in-depth facts about Leonardo Da Vinci.

101 Things You Didn’t Know About Da Vinci provides you with all the fascinating facts you didn’t know about the famous artist, inventor, and creator of the Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian Man, including details about his personal life, information about his inventions and art, his interactions with his contemporaries, and his impact on the world since his death.

Some facts include:
—Da Vinci was left handed, and wrote from right to left, even writing his letters backwards.
—Da Vinci’s The Last Supper started peeling off the wall almost immediately upon completion, due to a combination of the type of paint Leonardo used and the humidity
—Among Leonardo’s many inventions and creations was a mechanical lion he created to celebrate the coronation of King François I of France

Whether you’re seeking inspiration, information, or interesting and entertaining facts about history’s most creative genius, 101 Things You Didn’t Know About Da Vinci has just what you’re looking for!

Cynthia Phillips, PhD, is a scientist at the SETI Institute and works at the Center for the Study of Life in the Universe. She received her BA in astronomy, astrophysics, and physics at Harvard University and her PhD in planetary science with a minor in geosciences from the University of Arizona. She has written for a number of technical publications in her field, including Science, Nature, Journal of Geophysical Research, and Icarus. She has also written articles on a more general level for newsletters at the University of Arizona and at the SETI Institute, and she’s prepared many official NASA press releases. She has taught astronomy to students from junior high to college and has given public lectures to general audiences. She is the coauthor of 101 Things You Didn’t Know About Einstein.

Shana Priwer has an undergraduate degree from Columbia University in architecture with minors in math and art history. She earned her master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University and currently works with a software company in San Francisco. As a technical writer, she has collaborated with Cynthia Phillips on a variety of projects. She is the coauthor of 101 Things You Didn’t Know About Einstein.