The Art of War. Tzu Sun - Softcover

Samuel B. Griffith

3.96

487,661 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1907486992 ISBN 13: 9781907486999

Publisher: Paul Watkins, 2011

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The masterpiece of the sage Sun Tzu is a military treatise written in China more than 2,500 years ago. He recognised that we live in a world of conflict, which could not be ignored or denied but had to be understood and mastered. Sun Tzu's profound wisdom is not limited to military applications - his aphorisms offer important advice on dealing with other realms of human conflict, such as the psychological tensions of everyday life and the difficulties of any joint endeavour, including business ventures. Arranged into 13 chapters, from Estimates to Employment of Secret Agents, and enhanced by beautiful calligraphy, The Art of War is more relevant now than ever. The book begins with a Foreword by B.H. Liddell Hart, a Preface by Samuel B. Griffith and a 74-page Introduction, covering such key topics as the author, the original text and the historical background, with a fascinating section on Sun Tzu and Mao Tse-Tung. Then follows the essence of the book in 13 chapters: Estimates, Waging War, Offensive Strategy, Dispositions, Energy, Weaknesses and Strengths, Manoeuvre, The Nine Variables, Marches, Terrain, The Nine Varieties of Ground, Attack by Fire, Employment of Secret Agents. There are two fascinating appendices and a detailed Bibliography. The Art of War is now required reading at military, business and law schools in the US and around the world. It is widely believed that no book in history better describes how to be a winner in any situation of conflict or any competitive environment, whether in the office or workplace, in a relationship, or in everyday disagreements and tensions. This deluxe edition turns a classic of practical, universal wisdom into an attractive gift or a book to relish for any home library.

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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.

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