Michael Gelb's "How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci" is an inspiring and inventive guide that teaches readers how to develop their full potential, using the priciples of Da Vincian thought identified by the author. Beginning with a brief historical biography of Da Vinci and an overview of the astounding advances made in the arts and sciences during the Renaissance, Gelb illustrates the seven fundamental elements of Da Vinci's thought process:

1. Questionare: A questing, insatiably curious approach to life

2. Dimostrazione: A commitment to test knowledge through experience

3. Sensazione: The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to clarify experience

4. Sfumato: A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty

5. Arte/Scienza: The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination. "Whole-brain" thinking

6. Corporalita: The cultivation of ambidexterity, fitness and poise

7. Connessione: A recoginition and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena. "Systems" thinking.

Loaded with practical excerises, quotes, sidebars, illustrations and material drawn directly from Da Vinci's personal notebooks, "How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci" is both a tribute to his great achievements and a call to carry on his legacy in our everyday lives by utilizing our potential to the best of our ability.