LEONARDO The First Scientist

Michael White weaves the life of Leonardo da Vinci through the life and times of Renaissance Italy, relating him to the other events and personalities that changed the history of Europe. Possessing a mosaic of skills, Leonardo conducted the first scientific experiments and deduced principles from them. His mental speed and diversity impeded dedication to a single project for very long. White's chatty approach to fact and an abundance of speculation make for robust reading. Christopher Kay's British English keeps things tame most of the time, but his German and Italian accents sound comically inauthentic. Still, Kay enunciates every word. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]