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
She Said
Future Babble
The Sense of Style
One Up
Getting to Maybe
Steve Jobs
Fingerprints of the Gods
The Postman Always Rings Twice
The Chile Project
Leadership the Outward Bound Way
Getting Past No
First a Dream
In Defense of a Liberal Education
The Goal
Quality Investing
Anna Karenina
The Master Plan
Dare To Fly
The Rational Optimist
A Bite-Sized History of France
Lateral Thinking
How The Scots Invented The Modern World
The Hate U Give
House of Morgan
The Economics of Microfinance
Friday Black
The Cold Start Problem
The Alliance
Nuclear Terrorism
The Science of Liberty
Mother of God
The Third Pillar
This Time Is Different
Invariances
Alchemy
Everything Happens For a Reason
Unelected Power
Chaos Monkeys
Rainbows End
The Journalist and the Murderer
Loonshots
The Revolt of the Public