The Art of War: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) (Paperback)

~ Sun-tzu (Author), John Minford (Translator, Contributor) "Master Sun's short treatise The Art of War is both inspirational and worrying..." (more)
Key Phrases: entangling terrain, temple calculations, intractable ground, Master Sun, Cao Cao, Mei Yaochen (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The strategic advice that [The Art of War] offers concerns much more than the conduct of war. It is an ancient book of proverbial wisdom, a book of life." (John Minford, from the Introduction)

Product Description

For more than two thousand years, Sun-tzu's The Art of War has provided leaders with essential advice on battlefield tactics and management strategies. An elemental part of Chinese culture, it has also become a touchstone for the Western struggle for survival and success, whether in battle, in business, or in relationships. Now, in this crisp, accessible new translation, eminent scholar John Minford brings this seminal work to life for today's readers. Capturing the literary quality of the work, Minford presents the core text in two formats: first, the unadorned ancient words of wisdom ascribed to Sun-tzu; then, the same text with extensive running commentary from the canon of traditional Chinese commentators. A lively, learned introduction and other valuable apparatus round out this authoritative volume.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (August 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140439196
• ISBN-13: 978-0140439199
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #610,443 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Sun Tzu's Guide to Conflict, September 24, 2009

By	Eric Mayforth (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: The Art of War (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

"The Art of War" has been read for over two millennia, and this Penguin edition contains a strong introduction by John Minford. The commentary following the text uses examples mostly from ancient Chinese battles to illustrate the concepts.

The text itself describes Sun-Tzu's strategies for war. He advocates psychological warfare--getting the enemy to give in with no shots fired and no blood spilled. Also discussed are rewards and punishments for soldiers, the importance of terrain and getting the high ground, relations between commanding officers and soldiers, and the importance of spies to an army.

And of course, there is the famous admonition to know yourself and know your enemy. Because of the valuable insights that this work contains, it is not surprising that it has been read down through the ages by military leaders, business magnates, and all who wish to gain insights into human nature.

7 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Art of War, March 17, 2005

By	Patrick - See all my reviews

There are two ways that you can read this book. The first way is that of a war manual, which Sun Tzu ment for it to be. This kind is esential to any general. In fact, warfare is guided by this book and has been for thousands of years. It talks about planing, attacking, defending, terrain, attacking by fire and spying and much more. You can also read it as a guide to life (though I recomend the Bible for this.) In this type of reading, the passage that stood out to me is, "Ultimate exellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting." This confused me with what President Bush is doing, because he could have setled the problem with Iraq diplomaticly. But instead, he went to war with them for no good reason. I'm sorry but sometimes I get off track, but there is a connection isnt there? There is a commentaried version in the back of the book and a brief history of Sun Tzu and ancient China in the front. It is written in a poetry like form. It is the only translation I"ve read but overall, it is very good.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A few pearls of wisdom amidst the chaff, September 7, 2008

By	Peter Hoogenboom "Film, Music & Book lover" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Judging by the number of editions available, Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" is more popular and relevant than ever. Like many classic books of ideas, however, it is somewhat disappointing to read "in the flesh". Yes it contains a few pearls of wisdom but to get to them you have to wade through (a) 2000 year old advice on things such as how many chariots a general needs (quaint but not useful), and (b) lots of mystical mumbo-jumbo. The introduction by John Minford is excellent describing the context in which The "Art of War" was written.