Maximum Life Span

This 1984 landmark by UCLA immunologist Roy Walford essentially launched the modern caloric-restriction movement and brought serious longevity science to a general audience for the first time — that's a real achievement. The practical menus and charts made the science actionable, and Walford's credentials were unimpeachable. Forty years on, the specific dietary numbers are outdated and the extreme program needs medical supervision the book doesn't adequately stress, so treat it as a fascinating historical document rather than a current prescription.