The Art of War: The Definitive Interpretation of Sun Tzu's Classic Book of Strategy (Paperback)

~ (Author), Stephen F. Kaufman (Author)
Key Phrases: wise warlord

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Sun Tzu's Art of War is perhaps the best known and highly regarded treatise on strategy ever written. Although its wisdom is over two thousand years old, its principles are timeless for today's boardroom battlefields. Thirteen sections present incisive strategems from assessing the foe to proper treatment of troops to espionage. Hanshi Steve Kaufman, the widely acknowledged "Founding Father" of American Karate, translates this classic with respect for its powerful martial applications. Kaufman packs the power of the original text into straightforward prose for the benefits of all martial artists and corporate warriors.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; 1st edition (April 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804830800
• ISBN-13: 978-0804830805
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #294,319 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read and understand...No hidden messges (clear), May 20, 1998

By	[e-mail] (Saratoga, California) - See all my reviews

I have a lot different versions and this one clears the smoke from the poetic nature of the others. It is straight forward and well written. Five Rings and this book are (how to) manuels for coping with competition and people.

A must read to further the understanding of Sun's work.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most important military books in history, October 3, 2009

By	Michael A Neulander "Political Philosophy" (VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Translation of a classic..., September 7, 2008

By	Julian A. Seguro Barreiro (Connecticut) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book recommended by my Business Adm teacher but I didn't know which version of it to get...after much research I decided to get this one and did not regreat! Can't put it down...very easy to read and not too long...
Shows you how to be a good leader and how to act both in the boardroom and in the "real world"
Awesome purchase, Amazon.com was great as expected.