Journal of Inventions

“I have always felt it is my destiny to build a machine that would allow man to fly,” wrote Leonardo da Vinci in his journal alongside a sketch for an impossibly ingenious invention he called his Flying Machine. Though never built, it takes flight here in Journal of Inventions: Leonardo da Vinci. This fascinating book is an exquisite collection of elaborate 3-D pop-ups and detailed illustrations based on the personal notebooks and sketches of the Renaissance’s most influential mind. Discover da Vinci’s Mechanical Man, coil-spring clock mechanisms, hydraulic contraptions, and designs for armored vehicles—the precursor to modern tanks. Each invention is brought to life as a movable 3-D pop-up, with da Vinci’s own words and illustrations to provide further insight. This endlessly fascinating book is sure to inspire young readers and adults alike.