Thick Face, Black Heart: The Warrior Philosophy for Conquering the Challenges of Business and Life [Paperback]

Chin-Ning Chu (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1994

Chin-Ning Chu is one of the world's foremost experts on Asian business psychology, a frequent guest on "Larry King Live" and other high-profile TV shows. Now he shows how to apply ancient Chinese military wisdom to the competitive world of business today. "Could become the Think and Grow Rich of the 1990s".--Success magazine.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Chin-Ning Chu is president of Asian Marketing Consultants, Inc., and is an international lecturer, corporate trainer, consultant, and author of The Chinese Mind Game and The Asian Mind Game. Considered the foremost expert in the world on the subject of understanding the Asian business psyche, she is also the bestselling business author in Asia. Born in Tienjin, China, Ms. Chu fled with her family to Taiwan after the fall of mainland China to the Communists. At age sixteen, she entered a Catholic convent in preparation for a life of asceticism. Her father later removed her from the convent and thrust her into the world of higher education. Ms. Chu's work is highly praised by the international media, including CNN, USA Today, the London Financial Times, the People's Daily in China, the Asia editions of People, Bazaar, and Vogue, and many others. She counts a number of prestigious multinational corporations among her clients, and during the 1996 Democratic presidential convention, she was honored as Woman of the Year by the international organization Women of the World. She presents the warrior philosophy of Asia as the premier vehicle for mastering strategic thinking in the corporate world as well as in daily life. An avid thinker, she fuses timeless wisdom and spirituality with practical business tactics for solving life's ever-changing challenges.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Business Plus (October 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446670200
• ISBN-13: 978-0446670203
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,398 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You Need No Other Book! January 7, 2000

By "bobby_mac8"

Format:Paperback

Rarely does a book come along that gets labled "companion", but Thick Face Black Heart is just that. Like Gracian's "The Art of Wordly Wisdon", this book is a companion for life. To be read and re-read.

I searched and read for a long time differing books on succeeding in life. I bought this book based on a comment from a reviewer inside which said, "If I had to carry only two books on a runway it would be Sun Tzu's Art of War and Thick Face Black Heart."

Being a huge long time fan of SunTzu, I figured I had to give this book a chance. It was one of the best decisions I have made.

The clarity into how life works whether you like it or not is worth the cost alone. Too many people (myself included) have a hard time believing that the world (and life) itself is a battlefield. This illumination will not depress you - in fact it will rejuvinate you.

My copy is dog-eared to no end. I read it through at least twice a year and keep it by my bed (whether at home or on the road).

This is not money wasted.

The best compliment I can give about this book? After having read Thick Face Black Heart the first time, I threw all other self-help books I owned (Tony Robbins included)in the trash. I haven't missed them since.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as sinister as the title suggests... September 28, 2000

By David Smith

Format:Paperback

This book is great! The author has many examples to illustrate her points. The book explains what it is to have a thick face (similar to a "thick skin" but more encompassing) and a black heart (being ruthless in the pursuit of your goals). Though this sounds bad, it really isn't. An example of black heart in practice, given by the author in the book, is of a doctor in the Old West that is treating an injured person. The person is screaming because of his injury (and because there is no anesthesia), but the doctor is emotionless as he performs his duties. If he were sensitive to the screams of the person he is operating on, he would be unable to carry out his duties to the best of his abilities. He knows inside that it is better to cause pain now in order to save the man's life.

There are a multitude of topics covered in the book including how to get what you want, how to figure out what you want, how to be in harmony with nature (seriously), how to turn your apparent negative traits into plusses, and many more. The book is far too varied to be able to explain it all in a simple review. I suggest to anyone interested in improving themselves that they have an open mind and read this book. I have read other self help books, but this is very different and definitely worthwhile. I have a new outlook on life now. I see things that used to frustrate or irritate me in a new light. If you think there is more to life than what you are experiencing right now, this book will help put you on the right path to figuring out what you want and then achieving your goals.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars NO Fear, No Excuses, No Failure August 2, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Chin-Ning Chu (C-NC) in this wonderful,compassionate, and easy to read masterpiece shows you how to face your fears, overcome them and indeed use them to your advantage. This book will give you all the tools you need to lead a passionate successful life on every level. This book is filled with great quotes, great stories and the wisdom of the ages. They help lay the foundation for compelling standards we all should employ. If followed these standards will help you conquer the most deadly opponents whether real or imagined and lead to a healthier and happier life. You will come to realize how to use your inner strengths to understand what you want. You will then have the tools to achieve what you want. But, do you want what you can achieve? Reading and applying these standards will test you. But, ultimatly, if you follow these strategies, you will achieve what is your destiny even in the face of all the negative vibes you receive from others. First though C-NC frees you from the bondage of self defeatism. C-NC convinces you to face your fears and then to use them to your advantage. You then come to realize there are no excuses; if you do not succeed it is because you gave into your fears and emotions. She shows the dark reality that you were not willing to make the tradeoffs necessary for what you wanted - you just followed the crowd. You failed because that is where you wanted to be. But she brings you through this tunnel of darkness to a new bright reality of fulfilling dreams. Life is a tough game which you can win if you have the courage to make your dreams come true.

Much like judo masters who uses their opponents weight and strength against them C-NC illustates how you can disguise your reality so your opponent under or over estimates you. C-NC is your guide on how to harvest the untap powers of your mind so you are a competive, cunning, productive and happy individual. As you succeed in all life endeavors you make this a better world to live in reducing your tension and those around.

C-NC shows you throughout this book that you must have the heart and stomach to become the person you want yourself to be. You must have the strength to conquer yourself and pursue your dreams. This will also let you be a leader by example helping others to be the best they can be.

Each day we face landmines and great opportunties. C-NC explains you must keep yourself centered throughtout all these good and bad encounters. As the wise sage said it is not what happens to you but how you handles what happens that counts. She shows we are not always at our best and she illustrates life is a paradox. For example, postive/negative thinking can be an asset or seeds of success are often in our failures and sometimes being cruel is kind. But don't take my word read C-NC words to unlock the meaning of these insights.

C-NC teaches you to set realstic goals. If you constantly set goals or make promises you never keep your reputation will suffer. But she then guides you to ignore the criticism of others and be self-confident and respect yourself so you can within your mind expect great things of yourself. Through discipline, self respect, setting tough standards for yourself and with the ability to step outside yourself and look at the reality of each situation C-NC puts you in a postion to set high goals for yourself which are achievable. This book brought a new clearer meaning to my mission and it can bring the same to yours. But first you must read this compelling guidebook which through its stories and principal will build a new reality for you. This book will set your spirit free to fly as high as you desire. Its your life, your reality make it work for you.