Published 1961What a staggeringly huge undertaking this book is!
This book is solely to blame for my having had little opportunity to read anything else this year. It is huge, it is dense, it is chock full of the most incredible detail and interpretations of the life of one of the greatest artists who has ever lived - Michelangelo.
Now, I have to admit, I have been going through a big historical phase over the last half year, so I was more than ready to take this tome on. But I should warn anyone else that this is no light read. If you are eager to absorb seemingly every minute detail of Michelangelo's 90 year life - the incredible trials and tribulations of religion and art amongst the birth of Italian Renaissance philosophy - then, by all means, pick this one up. You will be very well rewarded. Irving Stone has recreated 90 years of Renaissance Italy and its influencial cast in staggering, loving detail. I feel like a qualified art and sculpture expert having just passed through.
This tribute is about as far from a quick frolick around David and the Sistine Chapel as you can get. One gets the impression that every single known fact and body of work connected to the great artist is woven into this story - and it takes a helluva long time in getting through them all - but is never uninteresting.
A monumental achievement, it can perhaps be paralleled with some of Michelangelo's own projects. Only an inspired psycho would take on such a comprehensive, exhaustive project and yet live to tell the tale.
A relentless banquet so huge that it may be considered inhumane to face it all in one session. One or two walks around the block in between courses is highly recommended.
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