|
|
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.
Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 355.02 EAN: 9780486425573 ISBN: 0486425576 Label: Dover Publications Manufacturer: Dover Publications Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 96 Publication Date: November 13, 2002 Publisher: Dover Publications Studio: Dover Publications Editorial Review: Amazon.com 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 Product Description: Widely regarded as "The Oldest Military Treatise in the World," this landmark work covers principles of strategy, tactics, maneuvering, communication, and supplies; the use of terrain, fire, and the seasons of the year; the classification and utilization of spies; the treatment of soldiers, including captives, all have a modern ring to them. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Less utility than later works.The Art of War is overrated in relation to more recent works, notably The Prince, On War, and The Book of Five Rings, and many Roman and Greek texts could be mentioned, for differing reasons. The Prince was written during the tumult of the cultural and linguistic formation of early Italy (as opposed to the distinctive Roman society before it). This makes it, in my humble view, more valuable than Art of War and comparable Roman texts because the personality of the time period is closer ... Read More Rating:  - Not just for generalsThis is a book of strategy for psychological warfare--it helps you tackle the battles you face every day. One of the biggest themes is how to win a fight *before* it actually starts. If only our current government and military leaders had followed the wisdom of "The Art of War"... Rating: - Art of war Great book, I want to buy the full version. Has good principals to follow. I think our military should read it too. They might get something done. Overall 5 starts +++ Rating: - ImmortalWatch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RSFXZFBSJSJVM This is a magnificent book that tells as much about psychology as it does military strategy. Rating: - Must reading for every future PresidentI bought this on a whim but quickly came to understand that if the President had read this text, we would not be involved in the type of war we are fighting. |
