A review by linwearcamenel
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone

5.0

This book was just incredible...to have someone whose work I'd studied in school come to life like this was an amazing experience. It definitely helpes to have some knowlegde of Renaissance art before reading it though. I could see I would have been confused if I hadn't known much about Michelangelo's work before. But it really gives it a whole new meaning. I also enjoyed meeting the popes, Lorenze de Medici, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci through Michelangelo's eyes, it really brought the whole time period to life. Best part is that I'm going to Italy next year, and will see these works for myself. I'm really glad I read the book first. They won't just be beautiful artworks when I see them, they will be art works that I watched grow while reading the book. My only complaint is that there were a bunch of typos in the edition I read...come on, publishers, proofread!