The Best Cookbooks of 2025

Scale by Geoffrey West explores the hidden mathematical laws that govern growth, life, and evolution across organisms, cities, and companies. Drawing on his background as a theoretical physicist, West reveals how everything from the lifespan of animals to the pace of innovation in cities follows universal scaling laws. He demonstrates that despite their complexity, living systems and human organizations obey predictable patterns that can explain why cities thrive while companies tend to die. Blending insights from biology, physics, and social science, the book provides a scientific framework for understanding sustainability, innovation, and the limits of growth. It’s an ambitious, interdisciplinary look at the underlying principles that shape life and civilization itself.