author
Henry S. Gillette
An artist as well as a writer, he brought a visual eye to his nonfiction for young readers. His best-known book, Leonardo da Vinci, Pathfinder of Science, turns Leonardo’s life into an approachable story of curiosity, invention, and art.
1 Audiobook
Leonardo da Vinci, Pathfinder of Science
by Henry S. Gillette
About the author
Henry S. Gillette, also known as Henry Sampson Gillette, was an American artist and author born in 1915 and died in 2003. He is best remembered today for Leonardo da Vinci, Pathfinder of Science, published by Franklin Watts in 1962 as part of the Immortals of Science series.
That book stands out because Gillette did more than write it: the edition credits him with providing the pictures as well. The mix of biography, science history, and illustration fits the broader shape of his career, which also included painting and teaching.
Reliable biographical details about Gillette are fairly scarce online, so only a small outline of his life can be confirmed with confidence. What does come through clearly is the combination of artist and storyteller, and a talent for making big historical subjects feel lively and accessible to general readers.