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The Agony and the Ecstasy
 
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The Agony and the Ecstasy (Paperback)

by Irving Stone (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 776 pages
  • Publisher: Dutton / Signet; Reissue edition (1 April 1996)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0451171357
  • ISBN-13: 978-0451171351
  • Product Dimensions: 17 x 10.7 x 3.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 500,704 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #10 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > S > Stone, Irving

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews
5 star:
 (7)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars very good account of the period, 13 Feb 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: The Agony and the Ecstasy (Paperback)
I really liked this book. It gives an indication of how hard it was to obtain knowledge of the human body when it was frowned upon to do anything that was considered to desicrate the body. Although it was hard going sometimes, on the whole I thought it was interesting and gave me an insight into the life of Michaelangelo and the period in which he lived. His account of painting the Sistine chapel was particularly vivid. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the history of art (and science) but who doesn't want to be bombarded by lists of dates and events. This account is told in a story like manner which makes you want to find out more.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Study of a Revolutionary Artist, 9 Jun 2005
By A Customer
This review is from: The Agony and the Ecstasy (Paperback)
The lukewarm reviews seem to have missed the point: this is a biographical novel and that's how it should be judged. True, Michelangelo's sexual orientation may or may not have been different from Stone's interpretation but, unlike our present day obsession with this subject, Stone is far more interested in understanding the creation of the works themselves. His insight into the different problems (the political and social problems, yes, but more importantly the technical ones) presented by each sculpture project or painting is phenomenal. People tend to forget just how revolutionary every one of Michelangelo's major works was - Irving Stone gets to the heart of this. As a marble carver myself I have found more technical instruction in this book than in most manuals. In short, if you want great fiction read Anne Tyler, but if you want to read a brave and honest attempt to understand the brilliance of one man who overturned the conventions of Art with almost every work he made, read this.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book and a very good introduction to the life and times of Michelangelo, 9 Jul 2006
This review is from: The Agony and the Ecstasy (Paperback)
This book is very high in my list of greatest works that I have read. I found the style very readable and full of great detail. At the end of the book there is a long list of source material that Stone has used in the preparation. I can not disagree more with one of the other reviewers who feels that the book has only lasted because of the film. I found the film to be leaded and over simplistic with some terrible miscasting. Since reading this book for the first time I have looked into the works of Michelangelo and have found that it is a great introduction to the great artist.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars My best book
Quite simply the best book I have ever read and one I read again and again - I don't think I will ever get tired of it. Read more
Published 8 months ago by N. Cawsey

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant on Michelangelo the artist
I read this some years ago and still remember how enthralling I found the evocation of Michelango as a passionate and committed artist. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Roman Clodia

4.0 out of 5 stars brilliant on Michelangelo the artist
I read this some years ago and still remember how enthralling I found the evocation of Michelango as a passionate and committed artist. Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2007 by Roman Clodia

1.0 out of 5 stars Hmmmm...
Please don't read this and think you are learning anything 'historical' - particularly with reference to the Sistine Ceiling. Read more
Published on 13 Jul 2004 by daisyrock

1.0 out of 5 stars A literary Savonarola? Please?
What a dreadful book! It is amazing that it has survived for as long as it has - one supposes that the fame of the film has kept the book alive. Read more
Published on 2 May 2004 by cwrinpng

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book I have ever read
What a wonderful book, quite simply the best book I have ever read. Touching inspirational, moving, a book I could not put down. The only disappointment was finishing it.
Published on 17 Jan 2000 by ken@cv-uk.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best fictional biography I've read
Michelangelo and 16th century Italy come alive in a novel where plot, characters and history blend together beautifully. Read more
Published on 25 Feb 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written book.
A wonderful book that captures the genius, the brilliance and yet the suffering of Michelangelo. Not only biographical but also a historical account of life and times in Florence... Read more
Published on 20 Jan 1999

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