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The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo
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List Price: $16.00
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Manufacturer: NAL Trade
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.52
EAN: 9780451213235
ISBN: 0451213238
Label: NAL Trade
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 784
Publication Date: 2004-09-07
Publisher: NAL Trade
Release Date: 2004-09-07
Studio: NAL Trade
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Editorial Reviews:
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Celebrating the 500th anniversary of Michelangelo's David, New American Library releases a special edition of Irving Stone's classic biographical novel-in which both the artist and the man are brought to life in full. A masterpiece in its own right, this novel offers a compelling portrait of Michelangelo's dangerous, impassioned loves, and the God-driven fury from which he wrested the greatest art the world has ever known.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: I wish I could give this 3.5 stars
Comment: As far as historical fiction goes this was great. I learned much about a topic I didn't know a ton about previously. Also, I found it to be a page turner in many sections which says a lot given the length. I'm more into general historical fiction rather than art historical fiction. So, this is the only reason why I wanted to give it a 3.5 rather than a 4.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Feels Like Being Right There
Comment: Irving Stone makes you feel you are right there: in Ghirlandaio's studio, in Lorenzo's Garden, in the Pope's apartments, in Michelangelo's marble. I have seen the movie many years ago (and enjoyed it greatly) so when I saw the book in a friend's house borrowed it. When -after three years!- she really wanted it back, I could not help but buying it. You can read it over and over again, also as a text book of Italian Art, with an encyclopaedia at hand. Actually, that is the best way to fully enjoy this book: you travel to Florence, Rome, Bologna...at the feet of the masterpieces.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Great Classic
Comment: Having not painted since 1995 due to life's hurts, I needed to read something that would bring back the passion I had for my art. This book is doing the trick. I can't put it down and wish it would never end. I'm starting to paint and The Agony and the Ecstasy is the best read for me since Gone With The Wind. Michelangelo had so many gifts from God that I feel sad we all don't use it like he did. Since we are all gifted this book will certainly make you realize not to waste time with our modern stuff and start using the gifts God has given us. This is a must read and a classic.
Customer Rating:
Summary: agonizing prose, ecstatic intentions
Comment: I'm a high school English teacher, and I would never assign this to students to read. Nor would I recommend it to any adult except for those who are doing academic work about Michelangelo or those who are art historians. Michelangelo's artistic gifts are obviously amazing and worth knowing about. And the Renaissance time period certainly is important and interesting. However, the author exhausts his readers by seemingly including every single detail he gleaned from his obviously thorough research.
As a result, the story just goes on and on without any ongoing internal or external conflict to sustain interest. Maybe this is because as a whole, Michelangelo's life did not present an underlying, complex struggle. It was just a bunch of little struggles, each with the very same dynamic -- trying to do things his way, dealing with difficult popes and Medicis. His "great loves" are just slices of life along the way, for whatever reason: maybe the historical record does not give reason for much embellishment. I also felt like he never really conveyed an authentic, thoughtful sense of Michelangelo's inner world. It felt thin and simplistic, portrayed through the objectifying lens of Stone's reverence.
And the names! It was so frustrating to come across dozens of new people every few pages, most of whom were never mentioned again. It became impossible to figure out which ones I needed to pay attention to, which alone would have been a struggle because so many of the names are so similar to each other.
However, I guess all of the seemingly faithful details are an honor to someone worth honoring, so for this I give it two stars. Historical fiction can be so powerful. Here, though, a bit too agonizing.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Piece of Art!
Comment: The feelings and emotions of one of the greatest artists of all times is reflected in this excellent book. Take it with you on your next trip to Italy.
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