The Art of War: Deluxe Slipcase Edition (Arcturus Silkbound Classics) - Hardcover

Tzu, Sun

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1784048178 ISBN 13: 9781784048174

Publisher: Arcturus, 2015

Synopsis

'Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.'
- Sun Tzu

Written around the 6th century BC, The Art of War is one of the oldest and most famous books on military strategy. It teaches you how, when battle commences, to think on your feet and catch your enemy off guard. Its penetrating theories are a must read for the modern day military enthusiast, business person and historian alike.

This deluxe, hardback gift edition is bound in luxurious silk and presented in a decorative slipcase. It features a stunning range of full-color Chinese illustrations to lift and complement the text, as well as a fascinating postscript on how the ideas of Sun Tzu have been put to use in business, sport and other areas of life.

The perfect gift for anyone interested in ancient Chinese wisdom.

About this title

Review

The Art of War is the Swiss army knife of military theory--pop out a different tool for any situation. Folded into this small package are compact views on resourcefulness, momentum, cunning, the profit motive, flexibility, integrity, secrecy, speed, positioning, surprise, deception, manipulation, responsibility, and practicality. Thomas Cleary's translation keeps the package tight, with crisp language and short sections. Commentaries from the Chinese tradition trail Sun-tzu's words, elaborating and picking up on puzzling lines. Take the solitary passage: "Do not eat food for their soldiers." Elsewhere, Sun-tzu has told us to plunder the enemy's stores, but now we're not supposed to eat the food? The Tang dynasty commentator Du Mu solves the puzzle nicely, "If the enemy suddenly abandons their food supplies, they should be tested first before eating, lest they be poisoned." Most passages, however, are the pinnacle of succinct clarity: "Lure them in with the prospect of gain, take them by confusion" or "Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability is in the opponent." Sun-tzu's maxims are widely applicable beyond the military because they speak directly to the exigencies of survival. Your new tools will serve you well, but don't flaunt them. Remember Sun-tzu's advice: "Though effective, appear to be ineffective." --Brian Bruya

From the Publisher

Here is a seminal work on the philosophy of successful leadership that is as applicable to contemporary business as it is to war. James Clavell has taken a 1910 translation and clarified it for the contemporary reader.

About this edition

• Publisher: Arcturus
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1784048178
• ISBN 13: 9781784048174
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160