The Art of War by Sun Tzu and over 670,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
More Buying Choices
18 used & new from $4.50
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Sun Tzu On the Art of War: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World (Deodand Classic)
 
 
See all product images
Share your own customer images
Search inside another edition of this book
Start reading The Art of War by Sun Tzu on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Sun Tzu On the Art of War: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World (Deodand Classic) [Paperback]

Sun Tzu (Author), Lionel Giles (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (146 customer reviews)
Price: $8.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
  Special Offers Available
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it delivered Wednesday, September 8? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
12 new from $4.50 6 used from $7.81

Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $0.99   -- --
Hardcover $7.95   $4.44 $1.63
Paperback $2.49   $2.49 $3.57
Paperback, April 2002 $8.95   $4.50 $7.81
Mass Market Paperback $4.95   $1.96 $0.21
Audio, CD, Audiobook, Unabridged $10.36   $7.11 $7.34
Unknown Binding --   -- --
Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged $10.49 or $7.49 with new Audible.com membership

Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • This item is eligible for our 4-for-3 promotion. Eligible products include select Books, Single Copy Magazines, and Home & Garden items. Buy any 4 eligible items and get the lowest-priced item free. Here's how (restrictions apply)
  • Over a hundred thousand items are eligible for our 4-for-3 promotion. How do I find more eligible items?

Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Paperback $7.95

Sun Tzu On the Art of War: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World (Deodand Classic) + The Prince
Price For Both: $16.90

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: Sun Tzu On the Art of War: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World (Deodand Classic) by Sun Tzu Paperback

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Paperback

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Book of Five Rings

The Book of Five Rings

by Miyamoto Musashi
4.6 out of 5 stars (34)  $7.99
The Prince

The Prince

by Niccolo Machiavelli
4.5 out of 5 stars (89)  $7.95
Sun Tzu For Success: How to Use the Art of War to Master Challenges and Accomplish the Important Goals in Your Life

Sun Tzu For Success: How to Use the Art of War to Master Challenges and Accomplish the Important Goals in Your Life

by Gerald Michaelson
4.6 out of 5 stars (14)  $8.76
On War

On War

by Carl von Clausewitz
5.0 out of 5 stars (2)  $14.95
The 48 Laws of Power

The 48 Laws of Power

by Robert Greene
4.1 out of 5 stars (417)  $11.70
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As a reflection of the Chinese mind, this little work is as relevant as any Confucian classic."--The Times (London)

"Shows managers how to be fearless in resolving conflicts."--Boardman Reports

"A brief tract on strategy that has been admired in China for centuries. Some of Mao Tse Tung's most eloquent thoughts are merely rehashes of Sun Tzu and his interpreters."--The Los Angeles Herald Examiner

"Samuel Griffith's original and scholarly translation of The Art of War shows how good scholarship can make an easily readable translation that is much more useful to modern readers."--The Philadelphia Inquirer --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Lionel Giles' classic translation of the oldest military treatise in the world.

"Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory."

This volume contains the introduction and fascinating commentaries of Lionel Giles, who provided the first definitive English translation of Sun Tzu's masterpiece. His copious notes and bibliography have been updated to make them more accessible to English speaking readers, and enhancing the insights to be drawn from this timeless classic.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Paperback: 120 pages
  • Publisher: Deodand Publishing (April 2002)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 095788687X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0957886872
  • Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (146 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,908,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

Sun Tzu
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Sun Tzu Page
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Sun Tzu
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Sun Tzu On the Art of War: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World (Deodand Classic)
69% buy the item featured on this page:
Sun Tzu On the Art of War: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World (Deodand Classic) by Sun Tzu Paperback 4.2 out of 5 stars (146)
$8.95
The Art Of War
9% buy
The Art Of War by Sun Tzu Paperback 4.0 out of 5 stars (62)
$5.99
The Art of War
8% buy
The Art of War by Sun Tzu Mass Market Paperback 4.4 out of 5 stars (94)
$7.99
The Art of War
8% buy
The Art of War by Sun Tzu Paperback 4.4 out of 5 stars (140)
$8.54
› Explore similar items

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
 
(77)
(52)
(33)
(41)
(36)
(34)
(23)
(33)
(21)
(17)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

146 Reviews
5 star:
 (81)
4 star:
 (37)
3 star:
 (12)
2 star:
 (5)
1 star:
 (11)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (146 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
164 of 170 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A timeless classic that has practical application, February 20, 2001
This review is from: The Art of War (Paperback)
I got this particular edition of Sun Tzu's Art of War at a strategy course for sales. I already had a copy of it at home, but this edition is so nicely done that I gave my old copy away and kept this one. The introduction of James Clavell is a nice touch.

It is amazing to me that this book is not read in high schools or colleges in favor of Machiavelli's work (The Prince or The Art of War.) Sun Tzu's writing is clear and to the point. Unlike the popular Book of Five Rings by Musashi, this book is not metaphorical and poetic; it's downright practical. And it's not hard to read, unlike many classics.

If you are doing business in China, this is also a good book to know. I mentioned some of the classic strategies while giving a course in China, and every member of the class had read it, knew it well, and gave me many examples from recent Chinese history where Sun Tzu's strategies were employed. This book is close to their hearts, and will give you insight if you are doing business in the East.

Of course, the most famous anecdote from this book is about gaining the obedience of troops; the emperor, wishing to interview Sun Tzu for the commission of general, asked if Sun Tzu's military principles could be applied to women. Sun Tzu replied yes, the principles worked for women as well as men. Accordingly, Sun Tzu was given the task of organizing the emperor's many concubines into an army. Sun Tzu lined up the concubines and set the two favorites as officers at the head of the columns.

He gave them a simple set of orders to march and drill (eyes front, right face, about face. The drums sounded and instead of following the commands, the girls simply giggled and blushed.

He repeated the orders again, saying that if the orders were not clear, it is first the fault of the general. He repeated the commands, and the girls simply stood and giggled again.

"If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers." Upon saying this, he ordered the two concubines at the head of the troop, favorites of the emperor, to be beheaded.

The emperor hurriedly sent down the command to stop, he had no desire to see his favorites executed. The emperor said "We are satisfied that the general knows how to command."

But Sun Tzu said, "Once having received the commission, there are certain commands I am unable to accept." And he ordered the two favorites to be beheaded. Once again, he gave the commands. The concubines marched, whirled about and drilled in perfect order. The emperor appointed Sun Tzu general.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars 2500 Years. Still Necessary., November 17, 2003
This review is from: The Art of War (Shambhala classics) (Paperback)
The Art of War was originally intended for reading by ancient China's ruling military elite, and not lowly commoners such as us. It is one of the few great books people seem to be universally familiar with, and for good reason.

The struture is blindingly simple - Sun Tzu writes short chapters about different areas of battle which consist of simple dictums. Utterly straightforward, and generalisable to any form of conflict.

Surface-reading this book will take you minutes, not hours - however, time must be spent with even the barest of his principles. The purchase of this book has become alarmingly trendy over recent years, but with no noticeable effect on the global intelligence of its middle manager market. Books like this do not read themselves.

A more accurate edition would have gained 5 stars without a second thought. The fact that much better versions are available (and freesource!) holds this version back.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Not the Best Choice, August 25, 2006
This review is from: The Art of War (Shambhala classics) (Paperback)

This particular edition of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" is a bare literal translation prefaced by a rather wordy introduction that pads the book up to a total of 96 pages. While the translation is not bad, the book contains no explanations or notes to enlighten the readers on some of the more obscure points, such as the modern equivalents of ancient Chinese distance measures.

The one sentence review, pronouncing this to be the best translation, was perhaps a bit generous. Among both military and history buffs, the prevailing view is that the translation by Lionel Giles, of the British Museum, is the definitive translation. Of the various available editions of the Giles translation, the Special Edition that contains two complete copies of the English text - one with and one without extensive notes and commentary - in addition to the complete text in Chinese characters - is far and away the best.

The $4.95 price for this book (or for the matchbox size miniature edition from Running Press) is a bargain only for those who are more concerned with price than with value. Choosing a better edition of "The Art of War", rather than this rather skimpy edition, will be money well spent. It is far better to own a book you can be proud of and which does a better job of informing you than this merely passable edition.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Essence of Art of War
This edition is the stripped-down basics only. No commentary, no historical background, just the basic text of Sun Tzu's Art of War. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Susan A. McKeen

3.0 out of 5 stars Management skills
The Art of war is an unique book which deals with management skill development tools. The techniques explained in the book are universal and applicable in all times and... Read more
Published 15 days ago by Girish

3.0 out of 5 stars Sun Tzu
I was well pleased with the prompt delivery of my book,I think the book is a decent book for the price
Published 1 month ago by T. Dowlen

4.0 out of 5 stars It was interesting & lived up to what I expected.
This is one of those "timeless classics," It is a very philisophical book & many of the thoughts in this text apply to various aspects of life outside of war. Read more
Published 2 months ago by M. panah

5.0 out of 5 stars #18 Know your enemy!
This book and its tactics have been used by every socialist including Obama to defeat you even though your ideas were much better.
Published 3 months ago by T. Price

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a beautifully edited copy of the Art of War by SunTzu
The Art Of War: The Art Of War: Sun Tzu Is Great! I Actually have 3 copies of The Art Of War and this is by far and away the best. Read more
Published 3 months ago by A.J.

1.0 out of 5 stars Buy it used and locally
I was unhappy that the book cost 3.99 and the shipping was over $11. The order says I chose the "quicker" shipping, and I did not. Read more
Published 3 months ago by T. Zimmerman

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun take on war today
The book takes a very analytical approach to the strategies of war. The cool thing is that it is extremely applicable to the business world today. Fun quick read!
Published 4 months ago by Gentry

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you Tzu!
I thought the Art of War was a great book. I can see why it has been used not only by the military but by people preparing for any kind of battle, whether that be business or... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Max Powers

1.0 out of 5 stars Cheap, print on demand book,crappy quality
None of the pages were the same size. It looked like someone cut the individually with scissors. Uneven. Horrible quality and not worth the money I paid. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Lindsey L. Wilhite

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums

So You'd Like to...


Create a guide

Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:









i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.