Customer Reviews

Sunzi Speaks: The Art of War

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This particular translation of Sunzi's work, while simplified, is one of the better ones. It is a good book to peruse as a stand-alone or alternately a companion to a more complex version. True, the simplification can be a trifle distracting at times, but the amusing drawings and casual language capture the attention of the reader more than the dry translations that are the norm, keeping the focus on the intent behind the prose.

Should one be looking for a scholarly piece for scholarly work, it is likely that this would not be the correct book to use. For reading pleasure and comprehension, though, this particular work cannot be beaten. To dismiss it as suitable only for children or semi-literates smacks of elitism and narrow-mindedness.

There is so much we in the west could learn from Eastern Philosophy. Confucius and Confucianism, Lao-tzu and Daoism, and Sun Tzu and the Art of War are just some of the Great Eastern Thinking we should look at and apply to our everyday lives.

The Art of War is more than a book on warfare. It is a book about battle yes, politics yes, but it can be applied to business, relationships, leadership, and other day to day life activities. It is a book that should be looked at.

This particular version and the other books in this illustrated series is awesome. It is so much fun to look at and read and yet we can learn so much from this work.

I agree, this is not the best complete translation. Personally, I enjoy the James Clavell translation. But, as a motivational book. As an illustrated book, this is very useful and enjoyable.

This is a very good purchase and can be applied in so many ways.

Just getting started on your desire to understand eastern philosophies? Have you stood at the bookstore for hours pouring over where to start and what to buy?

Any of this authors books are a wonderful place to start. The reason? Because these books are all about the title subject in a nutshell, easy to read as a comic book, the story lines and illustrations are wonderful, and after you read this as well as all the other books by Tsai, you will have a great, well rounded start on your path and will know what you want to study more deeply!

To add, when others ask you about your interest in eastern philosophy, you can get them started here as well, because these books are fun, consise, and you know they will enjoy them over and over again!

I am a firm believer in pictures. If you have to paint or color by numbers, who cares! As long as you learn from it. Why spend weeks trying to interpret a someone else's interpretation? The problem with most translations is that they use huge words and do such literal translating that you need another book just to translate the translation. This book gets right to the point and you can CLEARLY see/understand what the lesson is. This is a great life planner and a great page turner. (You can even color in it if it helps);) I highly recommend this book for people who just wnat to get to the point and not have to spend weeks going over history lessons.

I've stood at attention in front of colonels for having my soldiers read this book on two occasions. And I'll accept the risk of being there again.

Sun Tzu is the best known of the military classics and the most widely read, for good reason. He knew his stuff and wrote in terms of principles rather than specifics. This book is the starting point for a theoretical understanding of military science and conflict.

This is the most accessible translation of Sun Tzu's Art of War availible. The text is contemporary english at roughly a seventh grade level, and the illustrations are brilliant. The illustrations both illuminate the concepts in the text and are lightly humorous. This worked to great advantage when I ordered soldiers who were somewhat suspicious of intellectual endeavors to read it. The most rewarding moment was when a mechanic overheard an exchange between senior officers, leaned over to me and quietly asked if what was going on was like a specific thing Sun Tzu was talking about.

On the down side... The comic book format is misleading (as the translated text is serious) and will not inspire respect from intellectual snobs. The commentary by later authors that shows up in other translations is absent (maybe not a down side, the commentary can be distracting and confusing).

Overall, well worth the investment, and most enjoyable.

This version makes the text understandable. Tzai Chih Chung brings Sun Tzu to life again. Graphics allow the reader to visualize the message. As a Civil War Reenactor I recommend this version of Sun Tzu's work.

Traditionally, translations of Sun Tzu's Art of War have been very dry, and difficult to digest. Along comes "Zen Speaks"... Tsai Chih Chung has given us a version which is not only humourous, but can be readily understood by all those who care to read... He has delivered the best version of the ancient classic so far seen.

I own multiple copies of the Art of War with tons of additional commentaries and so forth. So I really like it and enjoy it period. To get it with these illustrations was to me, the best thing - a joyful surprise which hands down beat out all my other translations and versions. Love this book, highly recommend it.

I first got a book in this series back in 1992. It was Zhuangzi Speaks, and frankly I under-appreciated it at that time. Now I read this one and the Zhuangzi Speaks regularly and it is a wonderful way to enjoy these ideas.

My only negative is that this newer edition book, Sunzi Speaks, is downsized from the size the Zhaungzi Speaks 1992 size by about an inch on each size and therefore has smaller print. I appreciate and would prefer the larger print, but I still enjoy this book.

This rendering of the old classic is probably the most refreshing edition available. Even children shouldn't have any trouble understanding it. That's important, considering most of the other available translations are cluttered with commentaries from other historical figures - makes reading the primary/original text difficult for me! This doesn't mean you shouldn't buy other translations, of course. Simple, easy to read & understand, essential to ethics, philosophy and business studies, nobody should be without a copy.

Try China Books, Australia, for a current print edition.

This is the most alive version of the countless versions of the art of war. The readers who really want to go more in depth with the original version and do read chinese, will be satisfied with the original characters in the textbox next to the comics. A fun and really great read. If you want to learn the art of war and only want to read one book, this is the one.
Have fun...