One of the first historical novels ever written, “The Agony and the Ecstasy” is a must for every reader and is nothing less than a classic. Although Irving Stone thoroughly researched Michelangelo before writing the book, some of his information has been rendered obsolete by more recent scholarship – like the fact that Michelangelo was lying on his back when he painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Nonetheless, the book immerses the reader into the epic life and career of the “Divine Michelangelo”.