Scale

The Universal Laws of Life, Growth, and Death in Organisms, Cities, and Companies

Geoffrey West

Book Reviews

Stewart Brand: “This spectacular book on how logarithmic scaling governs everything is packed with news—from the self-similar dynamics of cells and ecosystems to exactly why companies always die and cities don’t.

I dog-eared and marked up damn near every page.”

Marc Benioff: "Geoffrey West's Scale is filled with brilliant insights.

He illuminates the laws of nature underlying everything from tiny organisms and humans to cities and companies, and provides a quantitative framework for decoding the deep complexity of our interconnected world.

If you want to know why companies fail, how cities persist and what is needed to sustain our civilization in this era of rapid innovation, read this amazing book.”

Bill Miller: “If there were a Nobel Prize for transdisciplinary science Geoffrey West would have won it for the work covered in Scale. 

This is a book of great originality and deep importance, containing startling insights about topics as seemingly unrelated as aging and death, sleep, metabolism, cities, energy use, creativity, corporations, and even the sustainability of our existence. 

If you are curious about how the world really works, you must read this book.”

Nassim Taleb: “Each human should learn to read and write, to count, and for those who know how to count, scalability.

Scaling is the most important yet most hidden and rarely discussed attribute—without understanding it one cannot possibly understand the world.

This book will expand your thinking from three dimensions to four. Get two copies, just in case you lose one.”

Vinod Khosla: "The physics behind biology, cities, economics and companies.

Do they grow, scale and die by the same math equations? New insights that are enlightening and delightful."

Tobi Lutke: "Excellent book."

Book Synopsis

"Scale" by Geoffrey West is a groundbreaking exploration into the fundamental laws that govern the intricacies of our world, whether it be the size of a city, a company, or a biological organism.

Examining a vast array of phenomena, from the growth of cities to the metabolic rates of organisms, West reveals a universal pattern that emerges across diverse systems. This pattern, termed "scale," uncovers the surprising similarities between the growth and development of seemingly unrelated entities.

Through rigorous scientific analysis, West showcases how scaling laws can provide crucial insights into complex systems, predicting everything from the lifespan of a company to the pace of innovation. By understanding these underlying principles, scientists, economists, and decision-makers can gain a deep understanding of how our world functions and make more informed choices for the future.

Moreover, "Scale" challenges conventional wisdom, offering a fresh perspective on issues such as sustainability, urbanization, and economic growth. With thought-provoking insights and engaging anecdotes, West invites readers to reevaluate their perception of the world and grasp the profound implications of scale on our lives.

In this captivating synthesis of empirical research, theoretical frameworks, and practical applications, "Scale" promises to revolutionize our understanding of complexity and encourage new approaches to solving some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

Explore More Books

See All
Liar's Poker
Inversions
A New History of Greek Mathematics
Viral Loop
Modern Times
The Age of Entitlement
Blankie
Clearing The Air
Women
The Blue Sweater
Wake Up: Why The World Has Gone Nuts
The Princeton Companion to Mathematics
The Obstacle Is the Way
On the Genealogy of Morals
Once a Warrior
The Outermost House
God Emperor of Dune
The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World
The Inmates Are Running the Asylum
The Fourth Turning is Here
Educated
Planetary
Not The End of the World
How Not To Be Wrong
Rick and Morty Book Three
Count Down
Setting The Table
Principles
Sam Walton
Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World
A Hall of Mirrors
Violence and Social Orders
The White Album
Switch
The History of the Future
Little, Big
Deep Simplicity
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
More Heat Than Light
A History of Western Technology
The Trial of Socrates
How to Dress an Egg
Working Backwards
Daring Greatly
Chapterhouse: Dune
Rise of the Machines
On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right When You're Not
Starting Strength
Maestro
The Ones We Have Been Waiting For
George's Marvellous Medicine
Chess Fundamentals
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Tap Dancing to Work
The Red Queen
1000 Ways to Make $1,000
The Emperor of All Maladies
Think Again
The Meaning of the 21st Century
Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic
More Human
Six Thinking Hats
Healing
Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers
Bitcoin
High
Adultery
Priceless
The Precipice
A Bold Return to Giving a Damn
A Magic Web
Carrying The Fire
Find Me Unafraid
Everything is Bullshit
From Galileo to Newton
Tipping Points
Lessons
Parasite Rex
Whiplash
Matter
The Dog Stars
Complexity
Plentiful Energy
The Dovekeepers
Guns, Sails, and Empires
Beyond The Blue
Falling into Grace
Into The Silence
The Moth Presents All These Wonders
Empires of Light
The Gift of Adversity
The Martian
Self Belief
Stone Age Economics
Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant
Sun Rises in the Evening
Tribe of Mentors
End of Illness
The Uninhabitable Earth
The Contrary Farmer