Black Dog and Leventhal

Leonardo's notebooks.

Art historian Suh has edited and shaped this splendid project: a presentation of Leonardo's notebooks that makes the Renaissance master's thoughts and drawings accessible for those unable to sift through all the 7,000 pages of his original notebooks. The volume is oversize (11x12.5 inches), so the 1,000-plus reproductions in b&w and color are easy to view in detail. The writings are selected and organized to relate to the illustrations. Readers, spared the effort of deciphering the original's right-to-left writing and cryptic abbreviations, can concentrate on the content of his thoughts. The material is arranged in sections on beauty, reason and art; observations and order; and practical matters. The index is particularly helpful for those who want to know Leonardo's thoughts: dyslexia, magnanimity, pain, the importance of sketches, or shadows on waves are just a few of the many topics he addresses. Also, for readers who want to explore a more extensive scholarship on Leonardo, the bibliography cites works in English, French, German, and Italian. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)