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Jan 29, 2012

Kate rated it:

I have still not forgiven my professor for making me purchase, read and WRITE A PAPER about this book in my first year of grad school. How to Think is Michael Gelb at his worst and I suggest reading a well-crafted novel, watching a good film or making your own art if you are indeed feeling uninspired. In general I think we should all try and stay clear from the 'self-help' section of a our local bookstore, at least in the context of a terminal degree.

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May 21, 2008

Alen rated it:

"wine is art that you can eat"

well, so is pizza, chocolate, lasagna, cheese, melted cheese...hmmmm

This review ~~SUCKED!~~ IS GREAT!! 5 stars review. great review Alen, If I may say so. yes, you may. thank you.

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Mar 04, 2009

Shellie (Layers of Thought) rated it:

I found this author through a free itunes podcast. It was an easy read, and I did so in several hours. Gelb's writing and podcast are eloquent, concise, and interesting. His message is also achievable and believable - well mostly - which unlike some of the folks whom are in the motivational/self help book/speaking business. Many are egotistical and so far out in left field that it is diffiuclt and illogical to relate to them.
His message is that we can look to da Vinci and his amazing gift More...

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Jun 29, 2011

Lance rated it:

Gelb has created a masterpiece in How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci. If one can suspend the Western cultural notion that people are born with whatever talent they possess and believe instead, as Gelb and da Vinci do, that anyone has unlimited potential, this book is a treasure trove of what exactly that potential can be and how exactly to unleash it. The seven Da Vincian Principles (as Gelb calls them) are really common sense. What makes them so incredible is the way in which their applica More...

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May 15, 2010

لينه rated it:

أحببت الكتاب ، تحدث مجملاً عن حياة الفنان ليوناردو دافنشي- صورتي الشخصية هي المفضلة لدي من أعماله - كإنسان ، كعالم ، كفنان ، من خلال دراسة لمذكرته التي كانت لا تفارقه أبدا وكان يكتب فيها كل خواطره ، ومن خلال كتابات أحد تلامذته عنه . عقل جبار سبق زمانه ، انتهج طريقا خاصا به خالف في تفكيره ككل من كان في عهده ولم يلق بالا لهم ، أكد على أهمية دراسة فن العلم و علم الفن ، الفن عنده الفن ارتبط بالخيال و بالمعرفة الكاملة للشيء الذي يرسمه فجمع أكبر متناقضين ، الكتاب يحوي مفاتيح أساسية لطرق الرسم ، قد لا More...

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Dec 19, 2011

Saleem rated it:

Leonardo thought in a bohemian artistic way he had ideas but little completed and less fully accomplished projects are left to his name. This make me think that idealizing his thought process might not be the ultimate virtue.
This book gives some suggestions on how to reach that -wide lateral include everything in- way of thinking. The practicality of being there is left to you.
I mean things like carry a note book and jolt everything down, Draw your idea, use mind mapping (Sorry Bo More...

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Mar 09, 2009

Anoud rated it:

Wow, that was SOMETHING!!
That was one of most interesting books I've ever read!! It's exactly the kind of books that engages you in an endless tough thinking session if you knew how to make the most of it. Simply, a brilliant book written by, about and for brilliant people.

How to think like Leonardo da vinci, is an excellent self-improvement book helps you to find and capitalize your unique creative potentials. The author uses a perfect example to boost his readers' eagerness More...

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Sep 05, 2009

Mark rated it:

A really good idea lost in poor, self-indulgent writing. I'm not sure who Gelb is in love with more, himself or daVinci. Let's see, the book is written in English, but let's name the principals in bastardized Italian to make it special.

Better yet - "His physics studies anticipated the modern disciplines of hydrostatics, optics, and mechanics." Wow - he studied physics 200 years before the science of physics and calculus were invented! As Dr. Cavanagh once wrote on one of my More...

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Feb 25, 2010

Ann rated it:

Leonardo started a lot of projects that he never finished -- but the ones he did finish are amazing. The author, after examining Leo's life, saw that there were seven habits or characteristics that seemed to guide da Vinci and make him the Renaissance man that he was. The purpose of this book is not to make us feel inadequate by comparing ourselves to the Maestro, but to give us a path to follow, so that we may emulate him in our lives as much as possible.

The one drawback that our bo More...

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Dec 28, 2011

Rachael rated it:

I recently took a first pass through this book (saving the exercises for a later date). Already it taught me how to look at things differently. It encouraged me to really see and think and feel the experiences I have every day. I struggle with wanting control and wanting answers: This book made me realize that it's OK to have more questions than answers, that it's OK to relinquish control and let things happen as they may. Not only does the author offer ways to implement Da Vinci principles in o More...

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Jan 28, 2010

Joshua rated it:

This book was an utter disappointment. The author seemed blinded by his love of Leonardo da Vinci and it impaired him from actually writing a decent book.
Gelb took principles that could be associated with Leonardo da Vinci, briefly listed common self-help tips under the appropriate categories and dropped da Vinci's name often, as if that made the ideas original. It felt like he was using a celebrity to sell a product.
At the end of the book, there's a bonus: A Beginner's Da Vinci Dra More...

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Nov 18, 2009

David rated it:

OK, who wouldn't want to learn how to think like da Vinci?

While the title seemed a bit preposterous, I thought I'd give it whirl - especially since I noticed it on one of my friend's reading list.

As it turns out, this book falls more into the self-help realm - which I wasn't looking for. That said, creating a bridge between da Vinci and "how to live a happier life" works.

It's also pretty easy for folks like myself in the creative services world to fi More...

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Aug 03, 2009

Gian Fiero rated it:

There are many books written about Leonardo Da Vinci which tell his life story in great depth and detail; this is not one of them. While this book does provide you with some basic biographical information, its greatest value lies in the interpersonal exercises that are central to each chapter. These 7 Da Vincian Principles which are drawn from an intensive study of Leonardo Da Vinci's methods, will help you think like a genius by improving your left and right-brain functionality, and enable you More...

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Oct 28, 2010

Tonia rated it:

really neat way of looking at DaVinci - actually trying to take lessons from what he did and apply it in our lives, no matter what we do. The end lost me a bit though, it seems the book was building up to some greater conclusions about life, art, science, and how to improve our world in complex modern times. Instead he spent the last chapter just talking about mind mapping in way too much detail. It was like taking career planning in high school, not something I need to repeat. But, it can a More...

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Jun 03, 2011

Laurie rated it:

This book has made me reconsider the daily routine. Part of Davinci's genius was his development and use of the "whole brain". He was able to find balance of science, art, logic, and imagination. One encouraging thought that stays with me from the book, " Treat mistakes as learning opportunities," which leads me to believe that even Leonardo had hiccups. Mistakes are reality and you must respect yourself to brush off the event and allow the opportunity to learn. Overall an in More...

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May 31, 2010

Catherine rated it:

I bought and first read this book several years ago and picked it up again lately as I wanted a little boost. While I still enjoyed it, I seem to be more experienced these days, which left many of Gelb's suggestions feeling hackneyed.

Affirmations, mind mapping, visualizations, cooking from scratch (somehow I remember the minestrone recipe being better, too). A lot of the activities were bits and pieces taken from previous sources and links (sometimes tenuously) to the life and/or wo More...

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Aug 20, 2011

Beth rated it:

This book was recommended to me with the instruction to "take what sticks, and leave the rest." With this in mind, I found the book well worth my time and trouble. I find that most books found on the "self-help" shelves have very little new or revolutionary to say, but some of them say the old and obvious things in an engaging and useful way. This book mostly fit that bill for me.

The author has arranged the book into two sections. Part one is an overview of both t More...

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May 04, 2011

James rated it:

With the wealth of information and principles for action presented by Michael Gelb in this book one wonders where to start? It provides an "inspirational" approach to improving your mind and your life. I have always been fascinated by fictional superheroes and I also enjoy reading about the lives of geniuses of the past in all fields of endeavor. This book uses a close study of the life and achievements of Leonardo da Vinci to identify principles that each of us can apply in our life More...

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Mar 14, 2009

Bertcrabbe rated it:

This was a seriously interesting read. DaVinci was an amazing individual. Never been another like him. I mean, I know that's technically true of everyone, but he was really something unusual.

He not only dabbled in, but mastered several different disciplines including painting, sculpture and architecture. He built weapons (although none were ever used to injure another during his lifetime), designed the parachute and drew sketches that eventually helped to invent the helicopt More...

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Feb 16, 2009

Mark rated it:

A lot of interesting ideas and exercises to build creativity, lateral thinking, and a balanced lifestyle, but really most of the time abusing the DaVinci metaphor to hawk the standard late 90's New Age yuppie fare and make it seem authentic, ancient and proven by giving it a fancy parchment wrapping. In that sense, not unlike noepaganism, but with a Renaissance theme. Gelb's parroting of many common falsehoods about the Middle Ages turned me off early in the introduction.

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Jan 06, 2011

Derek rated it:

This was a great book to read. I have been intrigued by Leonardo Da Vinci since i first heard about him. He always seemed like a lead example to how we should live our lives as humans. Always living with a insatiable curiosity about everything around us and always seeking to discover things no one has discovered before. The Author was great about researching the author and trying to see how Leonardo Da Vinci thought and how you can learn from him to enrich your own life.

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Jul 10, 2009

Karen rated it:

I picked up this guide to being more creative because some friends were planning to work through it this summer. I did one exercise from the first set (and I didn't follow the rules—I'm already that creative, see?) and read through the whole book and am not that excited about doing more. Naming the seven principles in Italian felt forced and I often couldn't keep myself from saying them in my head in a cartoony accent, and some of the exercises seemed quite tedious with no particular point to More...

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Jan 05, 2009

James rated it:

I can't believe a school would require a grad student to read this book.

I skipped part 1 and went to part 2 to get to the meat of the book.
After reading 5 chapters I found there wasn't any.

This might be a good book for 5th graders,
or people who are mentally challenged,
but please, adults should be at a higher level than this.

Just page after page of simplistic advice to learn from your mistakes and make word lists... blahhh

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Jun 21, 2010

Alecia rated it:

This is fun and has lots you can use in the classroom with kids. Gives good background information of the time periods preceding and in which Leonardo lived. (A theory on how inventions transformed the middle ages toward the Renaissance is great classroom discussion; the power of ideas to change the world.) Suggests exercises to "develop" the different characteristics of the genius of Leonardo, kind of applied to multiple intelligences theory.

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Apr 11, 2010

Karima rated it:

I swore off reading self-improvement books years ago and much of this book reminded me of why. (i.e.: too many acronyms)
HOWEVER, I did feel encouraged by the author's outlook and suggestions. Though mainly written for the corporate world, many usable techniques for daily living enhancement (the most basic of which include memory sharpening, a need of mine.)
Can't help liking a guy who encourages one to look at live with reverence and sensuality.

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Sep 05, 2009

Schill rated it:

Although I didn't do any of the journaling or other exercises, I did find the book intriguing. I liked the first part that spoke to the history of da Vinci. I didn't know much about his early life and I was surprised by some of his inventions. I loved that he had unfinished work at the end of his life. The sign of a true genius at work! The seven principles truly were da Vincian and inspiring.

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Apr 21, 2010

Angela rated it:

Altho the author could find no flaws in his subject, he did present a delightful case for how Leonardo viewed--and studied the world. There was a helpful timeline of when other notables were born in relation to da Vinci. Mini art, astronomy, anatomy, etc lessons throughout. Book proceeds will contribute to a model of the Sforza horse as a gift to Italy from the American people.

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Feb 10, 2011

Maria rated it:

I have to admit, my eyes glazed over some of the sections, but I did in fact, if only in a cursory way, make it all the way through this book. It has really good intentions, and I applaud its attempt at trying to reach out to the everyday (wo)man. However, I think maybe its goals were too broad. I mean, I would assume a guide on assigning meaning to life would take up several volumes, not just three hundred some pages. Interesting topics though, and inspirational.

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Aug 06, 2010

Maxime rated it:

I was really interested in the first part each chapter where Gelb talks about the way da Vinci approached his life using various principles. I did not find the exercises to be super helpful or anything that I would want to spend much time doing, but they might be valuable for some people. The introductory da Vinci drawing course at the end of the book was pretty cool.

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Mar 02, 2011

Haider rated it:

I'm in love with Leonardo da Vinci and interested in becoming a polymath.

This is an inspirational look at Leonardo's attitude to learning.

I would've liked to know how Leonardo used to spend his days, and what his thoughts are about learning. I guess there aren't any such accounts, but it was something I expected as I listened to the book.

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