There is no author whose books I look forward to more' Bill Gates

The New York Times bestselling author returns with a mind-opening exploration of how size defines life on Earth.

Explaining the key processes shaping size in nature, society and technology, Smil busts myths around proportions - from bodies to paintings and the so-called golden ratio - tells us what Jonathan Swift got wrong in Gulliver's Travels - the giant Brobdingnagian's legs would buckle under their enormous weight - and dives headfirst into the most contentious issue in ergonomics: the size of aeroplane seats.

It is no exaggeration to say this fascinating and wide-ranging tour de force will change the way you look at absolutely everything.

‘Vaclav Smil is a phenomenon with an appetite for facts over prejudice and fashion. Essential reading for anyone who cares about the future’ Lord Norman Foster

Product Details

Format: Paperback | 304 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0241507006
ISBN-13: 9780241507001
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Publication date: 04 May 2023
Category: Non-Fiction
Author: Vaclav Smil
Dimensions: 15.1 x 2.2 x 23.3 cm
Weight: 368 g