Roots of Strategy: Book 1 (Bk. 1) [Paperback]

Brig.Gen. Thomas R. Phillips (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Roots of Strategy | Publication Date: March 1, 1985

Writings of Sun Tzu, Vegetius, Marshal Maurice de Saxe, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books (March 1, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811721949
• ISBN-13: 978-0811721943
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 4.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #380,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Book for Strategists and Moms - a review of "Roots of Strategy", July 24, 2006

By 

Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Roots of Strategy: Book 1 (Bk. 1) (Paperback)

I am quite enjoying this book and thought I'd give a little bit more information on it so that you can decide whether to fork over your hard earned cash. This book is part of a series and Volume One contains treatises by the following authors:

Sun Tzu
Vegetius
De Saxe
Frederick
Napoleon

Besides the treatises themselves there is an "Editors Foreword" which gives a brief two-page history of how these works fit historically into the literature of warfare.

There is also a synopsis of the contents which lists each work individually. Additional information is provided here as well. For example the synopsis for the "Art of War" states, amongst other things, that it was written about 500 B.C. And that it is still held in reverence today (as of 1940 A.D.) in China and Japan.

But what is really useful and wonderful are the thoughtful introductions to each work. For instance, we are told in the introduction of "De Re Militari" that even as late as the 15th Century that there were as many as 150 extant manuscripts. (A huge number in historical terms.) He goes on to say something about Vegetius, Emperor Valentianian (to whom the book was dedicated), and the Roman Empire.

In addition -- and this is the part I found well worthwhile -- the editor explains how the popularity and usefulness of the strategy went in and out of favor as technology changed. He writes:

"It is a paradox the De Re Militari, which was to become a military bible for innumerable generations of European soldiers, was little used by the Romans for whom it was written."

Also,

"Cavalry had adopted the armor of the foot soldier and was just commencing to become the principal arm of the military forces. The heavy armed foot-soldier, formerly the backbone of the legion, was falling a victim of his own weight and immobility, and the light-armed infantry, unable to resist the shock of cavalry, was turning more and more to missile weapons. By one of the strange mutations of history, when later the cross-bow and gun-powder deprived cavalry of its shock-power, the tactics of Vegetius again became ideal for armies....

For someone like me who is not a military expert, this sort of information allows me to understand how the advice was used by others in later centuries.

Four Stars. [B+]. Interesting material with valuable editorial commentary. Minus points for the fact that some material from the originals has been omitted. The editor notes that it was of little interest, but I'd rather make that decision myself.

36 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The clearest translation of Sun Tzu's The Art of War., September 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Roots of Strategy: Book 1 (Bk. 1) (Paperback)

Firstly, I've read many versions of The Art of War by Sun Tzu and they all seemed to be translated by someone with Chinese as their native language, rather than English. This translation is as clear as they get. Napoleon's maxims are short and sweet. The other works contained herein are also easy to read and are packed with simple, eternal principles of warfare.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good collection, January 12, 2007

By 

Stratiotes Doxha Theon "2 Thes 2:15" (Richmond, Missouri) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Roots of Strategy: Book 1 (Bk. 1) (Paperback)

A very helpful collection of military philosophies. Sun Tzu, Vegetius, De Saxe, Frederick, and Napolean. A brief biography of each author is also provided with some background on their works. A must have for the military thinker. The translations of De Saxe and Sun Tzu alone are worth the price.