Customer Reviews

ART OF WAR - AUDIO (Shambhala Lion Editions)

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Art of War seems to be a classic piece of Chinese philosophy that is easy to translate into a mediocre work. I've read a number of translations of Sun Tzu that are clunky and have none of the wit of the original text. Now, I don't read ancient Chinese, but when a Chinese philisophical text reads like a manual for a microwave, you know something is lost in translation.

On the other hand, this translation, done by Thomas Cleary, showed me the subtlety in the Art of War. In addition to the work itself (which would make a very thin book) there is a long, interesting introduction written by the translator which I found very helpful in thinking about the Art of War, as well as helping to put the work in both a historical context, and the context amongst many of the other ancient Chinese philisophical works. How Sun Tzu's work relates to Taoism is very interesting. Also, there are selected commentation on each of the paragraphs of the Art of War. These commentaries were written over different periods of time by different Chinese philosophers. These help to show how many different points of view can exist over a single statement made by Sun Tzu.

I find this translation very well done, and I can easily recommend it to anyone who wants to read The Art of War.

Retired Professor John Minford is only a handful of people who truly understand the essence of the Art of War: "It is beautiful and chilling." He has been a translator and teacher of the Chinese language since 1977, and had chaired the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Department of Asian Languages at the University of Auckland.

Dr. Minford's translation is extremely concise yet complete -- much to our pleasant surprise -- and is truer to the original Chinese format than all previously published Sun Tzu versions. Our analysis shows great care was given to rendering each and every word. Incorporating the conventionally accepted text, Shiyijia zhu Sunzi, along with commentary from various ancient and modern sources, his book is perfect for someone who wants both an accurate translation and an extensive explanation of its many concepts and principles. The book is broken out into two major parts: the first part presents the core text unadorned, and the second part has the same text with well-selected commentary.

Just when we thought a new Sun Tzu the Art of War translation is not needed, John Minford's masterful work proved us wrong. Indeed, we are certain the value of his Art of War will only increase over time. Sonshi.com.

This ancient classic of 13 chapters was written over 2,500 years ago by the legendary Chinese general Sun Tzu. It is a must have for military buffs that enjoy reading about the tactics of the most succesful generals. It is rumored that Napoleon used a French translation of the Art of War to his advantage while conquering most of Europe, and he lost when he broke its principles.
The principles that are with in this ancient text can also be used in games of strategy, business conflicts, and the day to day battles of life.
Here are ten principles to give you a sample of the wisdom found in its pages:

Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance with out fighting.

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

Spies are the most important element in war, because upon them depends an army's ability to move.

All warfare is based on deception.

The general who wins a battle makes many calculations before the battle is fought.

There is no instance of a country having benefited from a prolonged war.

The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals.

In war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.

When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. (So they can retreat).

Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained, fight not unless the position is critical.

Taken as a whole this is a book of wisdom and principles on how to win. I rank it in my top ten books I have ever read. It is a must have for any home library. The is a very small book that is quick and easy to read.

Going in, my expectations were high -- The Art of War is praised as an all-time classic; equally applicable today as when it was first written; a philosophical insight into all manners of conflict, including business and (some have claimed) even romance!

I did not find all of these things, here. Instead, I found a brief and simple outline of various battle tactics and tautologies, usually on the level of the field general. This is not to say that this is worthless, or that there is no way of taking the information and applying it -- via analogy -- to problems today. But I did not find it compellingly analogous to today's world, or no more so than any number of older works.

The Art of War is a short, fast read. It is worth reading for its historical significance, and for a few insights that are not strictly obvious, and some of it may be applicable (with some mental stretching) to your quest to be promoted to the next level of management, or romantic victory over a rival, or whatever it is in your life that approximates "war." If other people find profound, life-altering depth in its lists of the types of terrain, or observations that it's better to attack your foe when they're tired, rather than well-rested, etc., then more power to them. I feel it's possible, however, that some of this depth lies more in the creative extrapolations of the reader than in the work itself.

The Art of War is a timeless masterpiece of interaction of power and politics. It is about war and not war. This version is the one you want if you are interested in the simple, yet profound wisdom of Sun Tzu. I have tried several other versions edited and commented on, thoughts and ideas spun left and spun right by other authors. There is no spin here simple staright forward thought and principles.

I have studied 6 or 7 translations of Sun Tzu's Art of War, and this is my favorite. I like it for several reasons, but mainly for three: It captures the poetry of Sun Tzu's original text, it captures the essence of Sun Tzu's thought, and the commentary is excellent. If you only read one Sun Tzu, read this one. If you have read others, you should still read this one. I tip my hat to John Minford.

This is the best version of The Art of War I have read.

Thomas Cleary does a great job of translating consistently, meaningfully, and has useful notes for understanding the subtleties of translation.

The commentaries are from classic Chinese leaders and philosophers, intermixed. Not all commentaries come to the same conclusions, but they build on each other over history. This is the way many people study these texts in Chinese. This is the only edition I have found that gives context to being able to understand the influence of The Art of War in its functional and historical perspectives in the English language.

If you have ever read The Art of War before and are looking for a way to get more out of the text either for historical or personal understanding I recommend this book.

Highly recommended edition.

The Warring States period Warring States Period 475-221 BCE is a history of constant warfare, of alliances and counter-alliances, and of treaties made and broken. The nature of warfare evolved during the period. During the Warring States period, political stability was impossible to gain by adventurous military action. With the advent of swelling ranks of soldiers, protracted sieges, and an ever increasing drain on state treasuries, warfare became a serious matter for study.

Thus, the opening remark of "The Art Of War" states--without exaggeration--war had become the most serious business of the state, the key to survival or ruin. The author of this and other pithy aphorisms on how to successfully fight a war was Sun Tzu. Sun Tzu scholars place his writing "The Art of War" in the Warring States Period, based on the descriptions of warfare in the text. The book has received great exposure in the west starting in the eighteenth century after being translated by a French missionary. It has been reported that Napoleon studied the text and effectively put many of its teachings to good use. For the past 2,000 years, it has been the most important military treatise in all of Asia, even known by name with the common people. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese military figures have studied it and employed its concepts to good effect. This is especially evident in the military tactics of 20th century revolutionaries like Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh.

The book is comprised of 13 chapters. The thesis of Sun's work is one should employ an army after a thorough analysis mandated by careful planning and the formulation of an overall strategy before embarking on a campaign. Sun emphasizes rational self-control, influenced by Daoist teachings throughout the book.

Chap 1-Laying Plans
18. All warfare is based on deception. 19. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

Chap 6-Weak Points And Strong
8. Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

The best translation is the Samuel B. Griffith edition

Do not let the title fool you. This is not so much about war as it is about relationships and leadership. I am a 50 year old house wife and mother. I am also a writer and constantly searching for insights and inspirations. I inherited this copy of the book from my son when he left for college. Read a page or two a day; sometimes a paragraph will do! The words are thousands of years old but the wisdom is timeless.

I will never tire of reading and using The Art of War to learn about myself and how I can improve - even just the little things. I don't claim to have nearly exhausted the value it can bring me. Read it in the contexts of how you interact with family, friends and of course work- yesterday, today and tomorrow - your "superiors", staff, peers and customers. Take some notes, re-read over & over again, maybe read components out loud to yourself.

Perhaps it is easier to read if you only try to digest it in small bites as it might frustrate (certainly had that effect on me). There is value in reading it over time with someone else - much like playing chess by correspondance. Each move (page) can be savoured that way.

Overall, like most things, you will get out of this book what you put in. It is quality time with your thoughts - enjoy it - you owe it to yourself.