Walter Isaacson in Conversation with Neil deGrasse Tyson on Leonardo da Vinci at 92ndY

Walter Isaacson (WI) has been busy promoting his new, anticipated biography on Leonardo da Vinci (LDV).  I've seen him in conversation with Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley & was excited to hear him speak with astrophysics rock star Neil deGrasse Tyson (NDT).  Who better to elicit scintillating banter on the very interesting historic artist/scientist subject LDV than NDT (2 intriguing intellects for the price of 1 + the book).  A seemingly brainiac bargain but I had several beefs with last night's program at the 92ndY.  Why?  First, the program got off to a late start & the intros were interminable, besides their bios were listed in the program notes.  Secondly, there's a trope to WI's scope of bullet points he's made repeatedly.  I'll make a cogent summation of the take aways from WI's multiple talks.  The subjects for WI's biographies share a commonality of innovation & genius.  The attributes posed for stimulating creativity & intellect are curiosity & astute observation.  And, yes, these skills can (& should) be nurtured.  WI spoke of the epoch in which LDV lived as being tolerant of eccentricities.  We're informed LDV was illegitimate, a vegetarian, openly gay, left-handed and a flamboyant dresser.  WI spoke of the astounding features of the Mona Lisa and the Salvator Mundi paintings.  The Salvator Mundi painting (which he's seen) is the only privately held, authenticated LDV painting known in existence.  It is estimated to sell at auction for upwards of 150,000,000.  LDV did not make distinctions between science or art but considered them both cross disciplinaries.  Lastly, NDT introduced WI as the featured speaker but he felt intrusive and failed to ignite additional insights from WI that he's expressed previously.  If I hear WI mention LDV's fascination for finding the size of a woodpecker's tongue again, I'll go bonkers.  NDT said he & WI met 6 months previously when they were both appointed to the same Board by the Sec. of Defense for innovative ideas towards maintaining our defense.  Here's where we could really use creative ideas that lead towards peaceful resolutions.  As for WI's book I took home, I think I've garnered the highlights.  I'm no longer curious to read it for myself & will put it on the shelf.