Amazon.com
The Art of War is the Swiss army knife of military theory--pop out a different tool for any situation.Folded into this small package are compact views on resourcefulness, momentum, cunning, the profit motive, flexibility, integrity, secrecy, speed, positioning, surprise, deception, manipulation, responsibility, and practicality.Thomas Cleary's translation keeps the package tight, with crisp language and short sections. Commentaries from the Chinese tradition trail Sun-tzu's words, elaborating and picking up on puzzling lines. Take the solitary passage: "Do not eat food for their soldiers."Elsewhere, Sun-tzu has told us to plunder the enemy's stores, but now we're not supposed to eat the food?The Tang dynasty commentator Du Mu solves the puzzle nicely, "If the enemy suddenly abandons their food supplies, they should be tested first before eating, lest they be poisoned." Most passages, however, are the pinnacle of succinct clarity: "Lure them in with the prospect of gain, take them by confusion" or "Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability is in the opponent." Sun-tzu's maxims are widely applicable beyond the military because they speak directly to the exigencies of survival. Your new tools will serve you well, but don't flaunt them. Remember Sun-tzu's advice: "Though effective, appear to be ineffective." --Brian Bruya Book Description

Customer Reviews (254)

Philosophy of Strategy - not tactics
Understand this:Sun Tzu is not going to actually give you military theory here.

This is a book about principles, not tactics. "Strike when your enemy is weak", "It is possible to win the war and lose the kingdom" and other such bits of advice are scattered (and repeated) throughout.

If you're expecting advice on actually how to move your troops, you'll be disappointed.If you're wanting advice on the principles needed to actively construct a strategy to win - in war, business, or any situatino - then you've come to the right place.

Amazong book; Great translation
A great book, for anyone who is interested in the art of strategy war combat.A great translation, some mildly confusing phrases, but easily rectified.Highly recommend this version.

Product is good, material is stupid
I am kind of torn on how many stars to give this as the product itself (the audio book) is great, but the actual content is retarded. Sun Tzu spouts off a bunch of useless crap like:

"If you march fifty LI in order to outmaneuver the enemy, you will lose the leader of your first division, and only half your force will reach the goal. If you march thirty LI with the same object, two-thirds of your army will arrive."

Thank you Sun Tzu, for summarizing war into neat little equations for us:

Function for computing losses during outmaneuver operation: F(x) = (if x = 50 then 1 leader and 0.50 of force else if x = 0.333 then 0.6667 of force)

The Oldest Treatise on Game Theory
There are many translations of this work which has long been in the public domain. This is the popular translation by Lionel Giles made even more popular by the introduction from the best-selling author of Japan epics, James Clavell. It contains Giles' commentary along with the translation. The annotations give historical examples of the strategies in action.

Game theory is calculated strategy. The Art of War by Sun Tzu is probably the oldest and most important book on game theory ever written. It is the culmination of the development of the best warfare tactics prior to the 5th century BC. It is considered the foundation for all military plans and is still used to this day. It is most popular for its ability to win wars without fighting one. Its application has shaped the world as we know it.

The Art of War can be understood as a breakdown of the chaos of warfare into components that can be analyzed and understood. The tactics are mostly about controlled organization, recognizing environments and situations and the correct response to each one. Organization is subject to change in competition. The Art of War is essentially the strategy of responding to changing environments. Response is thus relative to evolving conditions.

1 - "Laying Plans"
The core message of this chapter is to calculate as much as possible before committing yourself. Important themes include discipline, ethics, environmental conditions and assessing the competition. It's about setting up the mission and evaluating the competition.

2 - "Waging War"
The important detail of this chapter is to win as quickly and as economically as possible. Prolonged struggle means wasting resources and undermining confidence. When winning, use the spoils as rewards and capital. It's about making war pay.

3 - "Attack by Stratagem"
This chapter is about deployment of the previous two chapters. The central message is to know thyself and know thy enemy. This stage indicates problems such as sieges, bad management and interior anarchy or legal/government interference. Advantages such as good management, exploiting opportunities and attacking tactics are covered. Strength is about cohesiveness and is independent of size.

4 - "Tactical Dispositions"
This one stresses putting yourself in a position where you cannot be defeated and waiting for the opportunity to defeat the enemy. It is about recognizing the breaks and taking them as opposed to creating the breaks.

5 - "Energy"
This part focuses on the power of deception to lull the enemy into a false sense of security and the use of spies to learn the enemy's moves. It also stresses the need to evolve in battle. It's about building up war capability.

6 - "Weak Points and Strong"
This chapter encapsulates all the previous five chapters into an advanced war strategy producing outcomes, calculating and responding to events as they unfold. The strategies are developed here. It is about creating breaks.

7 - "Maneuvering"
This deals with managing units and the internal problems they face on top of how to respond during movement to various circumstances. It is a chapter based on types of situations and responses.

8 - "Variation of tactics"
This section expands on the evolution of tactics and strategies based on situations and responses but concentrates on what causes failure.

9 - "The Army on the March"
This is advanced maneuvering especially across long distances with different terrains and how to deal with encounters. It is about interpretation.

10 - "Terrain"
This describes the various terrains that an army can encounter and when and how to occupy them. It talks about distances, potential dangers and obstructions. Positioning is important.

11 - "The Nine Situations"
This piece explains the condition of each terrain in terms of its tactical advantages and disadvantages and how to deal with both. It is a very intensive chapter because of the number of complex conditions dealt with.

12 - "The Attack by Fire"
Arson in war is probably the single most troubling weapon that an army could have inflicted on the enemy around 500 BC. This chapter is obviously based on the most advanced weapons of the time which have since been developed. It is about using the principle of creating disorder and chaos to win.

13 - "The Use of Spies"
Without spies don't war. War is won based on foreknowledge not by calculation but by direct information about the plans of the other side from spies. Spies are managed in this chapter.

Even though the work is quite short (about 100 pages or less with commentary) it is complex enough to warrant several readings. It is the equivalent to learning how to play advanced chess, a game which compliments this study. There is a lifetime of thought within the pages. Napoleon was said to have used it and lost when he didn't follow it.

The Art of War has become one of the most important self help books of this century popularized in big business as many executives have had recourse to this material because it offers a sound winning strategy. Most readers come away believing that the book's message finds it adaptable to many environments because it is all about adjusting to variations and so can be applied to anything and everything.

The Art of War is not supposed to be an exciting read. It is a strategy book, a step by step guide to how battles are won and why they are lost. It is more to be memorized as a set of responses, including when not to respond, than to be understood. The combinations of the responses are unlimited. There is enough on the plate without asking why. Understanding why would come later and the answers to these questions would come from a very sophisticated understanding of the theory. It is an endeavor that remains open to the reader if they can come to terms first with the information that is here.

Even if the book is not followed up on by subsequent study it can still leave a long lasting impression with its tips on discipline and achieving goals. It is great value for the amount of information contained in such a short burst. It will get you thinking strategically and that is more or less its claim to fame.

A well thought out treatise, all in a little book
A very good treatise on the Taoist perspective on war. It carries so many parallels to today's modern combat, and is required reading in Asian businesses and for Asian military officers, especially the Chinese People's Liberation Army. It's a fairly easy read and very good to understand as well. Compare it to the Machiavelli book of the same name and you'd see a stark contrast to it. Recommended for those who want to learn what would be good military strategy and tactics, especially if those support a military with greater autonomy than many countries have now. ... Read more

Book Description
Following up on the bestselling success of Sun Tzu: The Art of War for Managers, expert author and coach Gerald Michaelson expands Sun Tzu's ancient philosophy of warfare to personal development and success.

In setting forth his success strategies for leaders, Sun Tzu established The Art of War as the world's first "self-help" book. Now the timeless text gets a modern interpretation for today's world. Sun Tzu for Success enables you to develop a deeper understanding of yourself and others as a way to gain the upper hand in all activities in life.

Sun Tzu for Success helps you maximize your abilities in the following areas:

· Creativity

· Leadership

· Moral integrity

· Effective decision-making

· Implementing strategy

Sun Tzu for Success provides the foundation for greater self-knowledge. Let it be your action plan for accomplishment! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Some interesting strategy, and unfortunately a reality.
The basic premise of the book follows ancient Eastern war tactics dating to 500 BC.A few of these are:"know yourself and your enemy", "plan surprise", and "win without fighting".The book describes various tactics of war that will help an army be successful.

These tactics are then related to modern business.What is unfortunate is that these tactics are needed at all.Instead of cooperation, and mutual respect, business climates are often hostile and overly competitive - within the organization itself!

I did find a few of these very enlightening.The section on "picking your battles" is always sage advice.I often have asked myself and others whether a particular business situation is a "hill we want to die on". The trick is to know the difference.Also of interest are the discussions on "taking the moral high ground".In today's business climate, ethics are more important than ever, as there are far too many examples these days which are evidence that the unstated ethical fabric of business relationships have deteriorated.

What is unfortunate is that the Sun Tzu tactics are often useful.While business relationships are often conflict filled battles, one can still hope and pursue mutual respect and cooperation.Overall, an interesting read, and some useful strategic tactics.

Not too original
This book is concise and well worth its cheap price. It provides some of Sun Tzu's most thought provoking text and adds the author's analysis. There has been literally hundreds of books related to Sun Tzu's writing and none of the ideas presented in this book are new. The real value of this book comes from the author's selective analysis of some of Sun Tzu's best lines.

Great Reference going to not only read again, but study
After my initial read through of this book, I know I am going to want to not only read it again, but hang on to it so I can study and reference the book. It is nice to have the original Sun Tzu narrative in the first part of the book and the authors modern day observations separated into another section of the book.

I can see how the book could be used in the contest of life, sports or business. Obvioulsy if a book that was written over two-thousand years ago is still around today, there must be something worth looking over.

Sun Tzu for Sucess
Gerald A Michaelson is a leading authority in the first and most renowed self-help book the world has ever seen ie Sun Tzu's The Art Of War. This is a rare and outstanding book. In this book, Michaelson masterfully extrapolated Sun Tzu's teachings for personal development and success in a language everybody could understand. It is thus a must reading for everyone who seeks to emulate Sun Tzu's principal solution viz win-win solution. In another words, Sun Tzu emphasises on winning with strategy and this is a counterpoint to the more action-oriented western thinking.

Well structured and Easy to comprehend
I was looking for books on strategy and I already knew the name of Sun Tzu.The Chinese edition I have with assertions is wordy and complicated so I do not quite grasping the ideas.It happened I saw this book in a bookstore.The book title with the Chinese characters (Sun Tzu) on the cover drew my attention.The translation and structure of the book is great and easy to read.The second part of the book has great outputs that apply the concepts to the current time."In Summary" in each chapter is concise and it touches the concepts well.Overall the book is well structured and easy to comprehend.It provides foundation and space to readers that allow them to explore the subject further. ... Read more

Book Description
Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War is both a source and an interpretation of Sun Tzu'ss Art of War written to clarify Sun Tzu'ss philosophies on war without compromising the subtlety of thought needed to master them.Readers of this book, from across professional disciplines, will find key advice on leadership, advantage, and how to proficiently overcome adversaries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

War as reality and war as metaphor
On the one hand, this movie line is seared, seared into my memory:
"Sun-tzu: If your enemy is superior, evade him. If angry, irritate him. If equally matched, fight, and if not split and reevaluate."Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) "Wall Street"

On the other hand, as we face the threat of global terrorism rather than superpower competition or nation state agression, nothing is more pertinent to the reality of conflict that Sun-.

My point is whether you wish insight into the day-to-day conflict of business, or into current global trends, Sun-tzu is absolutely essential, and this well-written, well-edited book belongs in your library.

Best interpretation of Sun Tzu?s classic work I have read
Published with permission, a review from Bob Spear, Heartland Reviews reads as follows:"As a retired military intelligence professional and conflict theorist, I must say this is the best interpretation of Sun Tzu's classic work I have read. The author focuses on the meanings behind this ancient Chinese war philosopher's writings. He puts them into a modern context, making them easy to understand. Apparently the Department of Defense agrees with me on this, since they have selected Mr. Cantrell's book as a text for the National War College in Washington DC. This is a must read for all military officers and business leaders. It rated a perfect five hearts."

Packed with advice on leadership
Robert L. Cantrell's Understanding Sun Tzu On The Art Of War contains both the complete translated text of Sun Tzu's enduring classic on battle strategy, and a modern-day interpretation packed with advice on leadership, learning to keep one's intentions a secret from one's opponents, leveraging advantages as the key to victory, and a great deal more. An excellent resource for anyone seeking self-improvement through internalizing Sun Tzu's wisdom, Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War is thoughtful and thought-provoking reading of the highest order.

Top notch publication
"Understanding Sun Tzu on The Art of War" is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the oldest military treatise in the history of the world. However, this book is much more than just the rehashing of old source material. Robert Cantrell's book delves into the material in a much more practical sense that lets the reader truly comprehend and utilize Sun Tzu's philosophy. Cantrell takes Sun Tzu's 2,500 year old philosophies and applies them to the 21st Century, using a contemporary voice that makes the Art of War much more accessible to today's reader. However, and very importantly, the book doesn't strip away Sun Tzu's words with modern terminology. This book manages to bring Sun Tzu into the 21st century without taking away his voice.

Reading Sun Tzu is a bit like reading Shakespeare. You can read it, but can you understand it? "Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War" allows you to fully appreciate and synthesize what Sun Tzu is all about.

If you are interested in Sun Tzu philosophy, or if you are interested in life strategies, Robert Cantrell's book is a must buy.

Brilliant Insights
This analysis of Sun Tzu is great for anyone who has read The Art of War -- years ago, or months ago -- and not fully understood it. It's great for those who do already understand it!

Robert Cantrell gets to the heart of Sun Tzu without "dumbing down" the text, and he makes the text useful and does not simply substitute business phrases for the original text, which I've seen in other Sun Tzu books. Mr. Cantrell has also included a full translation of the original text.

I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description
More than two millennia ago the famous Chinese general Sun Tzu wrote the classic work on military strategy, The Art of War. Now, in Sun Tzu and the Art of Business, Mark R. McNeilly shows how Sun Tzu's strategic principles can be successfully applied to modern business situations. Here are really two books in one: McNeilly's synthesis of Sun Tzu's ideas into six strategic principles for the business executive, plus the entire text of Samuel B. Griffith's popular translation of The Art of War. Within, McNeilly explains how to gain market share without inciting competitive retaliation, how to attack a competitor's weak points, and how to maximize the power of market information for competitive advantage. He also demonstrates the value of speed, preparation, and secrecy in throwing the competition off-balance, employing strategy to beat the competition, and the need for character in successful leaders. In his final chapter, McNeilly presents a practical method to put Sun Tzu and The Art of Business into practice. By using modern examples throughout the book from GE, Microsoft, ATandT, BMW, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and many others, he illustrates how, by following the wisdom of history's most respected strategist, executives can avoid the pitfalls of management fads and achieve lasting competitive advantage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Practical application of a classic book on strategy
McNeilly's book is a terrific introduction on how to apply the principles taught by this classic book on strategy.

As a marketing representative for my company, I use these principles everyday, in order to win business, and frustrate my competitors.

I always recommend McNeilly's books as a starting point to anyone wanting to learn about strategy.

Pragmatic Look @ Sunzi's (Sun Tzu) Principles of Strategy.
Mr. McNeilly book on Sunzi (Sun Tzu)is one of my favorite books on practical strategic application. ...

As a sftwr developer-prjct mgmt consultant, found his ["Six Strategic Principles"] to be pragmatically effective in any strategic challenges. ...

Also, technically abstract enough where the reader(-implementer of the ["Six Strategic Principles"]) can devise their own spin to their own strategic challenges. ...

The examples that are introduced were efficient enough for me to understand. ...

Have successfully utilized [McNeilly's Six Principles] for different strategic scenarios (i.e., market research, product development, close quarters negotiation, etc.).

McNeilly's book is one of those few books that's worth re-reading once a year for a mental refresher course. ... (Yes! This Cardinal does re-read this book once per yr.)

Have recommend this book to my assoc(s). Also, given away many copies of this book to those who are interested in Sunzi Strategic Principles.

Overall, I find his writing to be extremely sharp; his ability to explain how to apply Sunzi (Sun Tzu) principles to military conflict and business is nothing short of extraordinary.

Recommend this book to anyone who is serious about strategy.

Entertaining read, but unsatisfying
This book doesn't seem to be too detailed in it's examples and explanations. The basic principles are given, but there is not enough about the actual successful applications of these principles. I felt frustrated throughout the book when he would continually make references to a brief overview of a military event to prove his point or when he mentions "a well known company." The "well known companies," he would use these as support for his arguments/theories on how to apply them in business. He would say how the companies did this and that, and brought about certain results. I was left so frustrated because I wanted DETAILS! I wanted to know who these companies were and see for myself what happened and what significance it had to the company. Sadly, he hardly gives you any of this.
You are better off reading books written by Executives(active or retired). They will give you a perspective that is more pragmatic and more 'ordinary' if you will. And don't make shortcuts, actually read 'The Art of War' if you care about this topic.

Great book for people w/o a business sense!
Ignore the first review of this book - it seems to be by a person who's not read it, but feels that they know what it's about.

I'm finding this book an ESPECIALLY great read, coming from a non-business point of view.

If anything, I'm an engineer, and this book clearly lays out things that make you think "hmm, that's plainly clear, but I would have never realized it".

It doesn't give you answers on how to run your own business, but it gives you the methods for finding them.

highly recommented

You must read it!
The Art of War (the traduction is included in the book) in itself is very interesting. Even if it was written more than 2000 years ago, you can still learn from those principles.

The work made by Mark K McNeilly helps the reader to apply the greats principles ot Sun Tzu works in modern business life. The six principles are related to strategic management and really make sense.

It's clear and interesting. You must read it! ... Read more

Book Description

This Special Edition of The Art of War by Sun Tzu presents this timeless classic in two forms:

Section I contains the complete thirteen chapters of Sun Tzu's masterpiece in Chinese together with the English translation of Lionel Giles without notes or commentary. This presentation avoids the objection that commentary tends to clutter and obscure the clarity of thought of the ancient military genius.

Section II contains the complete translation by Lionel Giles including his extensive introduction and the fully annotated text with explanatory notes and critical commentary. His Introduction includes an historical account of Sun Tzu's work, evaluations by and of early Chinese commentators, an essay examining the traditional Chinese attitudes toward war and a bibliography that details Giles' source materials. The text in this section includes critical commentary and notes by both the Chinese historians as well as by Giles himself.

Lionel Giles, as the Keeper of the Department of Oriental printed Books and Manuscripts of the British Museum, was uniquely qualified to translate and explain this great classic Chinese work to Western readers. First published in 1910, Giles' translation is widely considered to be the definitive English version.

Other Special Editions in this series which deal with the subject of warfare and strategy include:
The Art of War By Mao Tse-tung - Special Edition
The Art of War By Baron De Jomini - Special Edition
The Art of War & The Prince By Machiavelli - Special Edition ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Sun Tzu vs Lao Tzu
The Art of War describes a strategy for winning a game through action and competition. Tao Te Ching describes a strategy for winning a game through inaction and noncompetition. ---by the author of Warren Buffett and Tao Te Ching: A Modern Investor and an Age-Old Philosophy

The Art of War
I enjoy reading for different cultures.This book is about day-to-day challenges whether it was in business, politics, sports, or in social life.I would love to see such a great book in hard cover.It is a book to keep.

The Art of War
The Art Of War is one of the oldest books ever written, yet it is still used today.The Art of War is one of the most famous studies of strategy and has had a huge influence on Eastern and Western military planning, business tactics, and beyond. The book had possibly influenced Napoleon and even the planning of Operation Desert Storm. it has 13 very interesting chapters.
The Art of War helps focus problems in such a way they can be solved sistematically. It is important to keep in mind that it's better to beat the enemy without fighting.
It is an amazing book. Try it!

Excellent Edition !!!

This particular edition of Sun Tzu's Art of War is really excellent. It contains three separate copies of Sun Tzu's book:
1. The original Chinese text (in modern simplified Chinese characters),
2. A facing version of Lionel Giles' superb translation into English (without notes or comments) and
3. The complete Giles Translation with an extensive introduction and notes throughout the text that provides detailed insight into the meaning and intentions of the text.

Lionel Giles's translation is the gold standard for Sun Tzu. His deep understanding of ancient Chinese culture and his own roots in Western culture gave him a unique opportunity to bridge the gap and present native English speakers the opportunity to really understand and appreciate the mindset of this voice from antiquity.

Of all the versions of Sun Tzu's book on the market, this one is undoubtedly the best. The scholarship and detail to attention of this edition pays the respect and gives the credit to the great work that it deserves. Other, abbreviated, versions of Sun Tzu's book have their place, but not for those who actually want to understand the lessons of history that have been passed down through the centuries. The meaning of the text, after 25 centuries, requires the perspective of an oriental scholar with Giles' credentials. It is unlikely that the bare English translation, without notes or commentary, can convey to a modern reader the real meaning and intentions of a 2,000 year old Chinese genius.

good buy
Though i'm not finished with this book I love the fact that its broken up into two sections.The first section is comentary free so you can get a sense of the work for yourself without a 3rd person view.
The second part has the translator comments which is great if theres any parts you dont understand or want to get a second opinion.

Along with english its also printed in the native chinese which is a great feature I look for.
... Read more

Book Description
Sun Tzu's Ihe Art of WarR, written in 500 B.C., has achieved international recognition as the foundation of Eastern military strategy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Use this book prior to corporate strategy sessions
The greatest value I got from this book was from the way it prompted me to think laterally in new strategic directions.

It gave me a very different understanding and viewpoint of the strategic challenges I was facing and planted the seeds of several ideas which grew into very powerful and insightful strategies.

The book makes excellent tool to inject new innovation and energy into management brainstorming sessions.

Marc Folch

Managers Cookbook
This is a helpful book for helping me deal with staff. I have learned good skills that has helped me with being with a supervisor. It is easy to read and understand.

Comprehensive translation and interpretation!!!
For a first time reader, this book provides a good introduction to the concepts in the Art of War by Sun Tzu.

This book briefly mentions the differences between western and eastern strategy. The book "On War" by Carl von Clausewitz is believed to be the foundation of much of the Western strategy. Clausewitzian theory concentrates on the big battle as the way to win. His work expresses so many ideas that it can be used to justify any positions and in addition, it is filled with convoluted sentences and difficult to read. On the other hand, the eastern strategist Sun Tzu's the Art of War is a masterpiece of simplicity.

The fundamental principles of strategy are the same for all managers at all times and situations. Only the tactics are likely to change. Strategy is best defined as "doing the right thing" while tactics is "doing things right". The dividing line between tactics and strategy is indicated by the point of contact. Therefore, strategy stops at the border in war and at the HQ door in business, whereas tactics begins with contact with the enemies in war and customers in business.

The book is divided into 2 parts.
Part 1 is divided into 13 chapters like the original work, sharing the same title as the original translation. Each chapter provides the correlation of the teachings to the present business world, ending with examples on actual business scenarios.
Part 2 provides a useful guide to practical applications. The practical applications are cited by real persons working in various industries, giving examples of key Sun Tzu concepts in which they have applied in their line of work.
Finally the book ends with an outline of Sun Tzu's key concepts to aid in applications and which also serves to provide a good summary of the entire book Sun Tzu's The Art of War.

Even More Relevant and Valuable Today

The review which follows is of a book which I readwhen it was first published in 1999. I recently re-read it. Here are my reactions to it seven years later.

Many of those who read my reviews are owners/CEOs of small businesses. Whenever I receive an e-mail from one of them asking me to recommend books which will be of greatest practical value, I always include a choice of R.L. Wing's or Samuel B. Griffith's translation of Sun Tzu's The Art of War on the list. Occasionally, someone who has read The Art of War asks for a recommendation of related sources. There are several to select from, notably The Art of Business: In the Footsteps of Giants written by Raymond T. Yeh and Stephanie H. Yeh; two books by Mark R. McNeilly, Sun Tzu and the Art of Business and Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare; and this one, which I read when it was first published and only now am I reviewing. Here are a few of the reasons for my rating of Michaelson's book.

First, Michaelson has selected and then discusses 50 "strategic rules" suggested by Sun Tzu's classic. To facilitate and support periodic review, the key concepts are summarized on pages 169-190 and range from" Thoroughly Assess Conditions" to "Practice Counterintelligence." Don't expect any head-snappers. The greatest value of The Art of War is that it helps, indeed insists that its reader think strategically. (Please keep in mind that it was written 2,500 years ago.) Michaelson fully understands that. His purpose is to apply ancient concepts to major perils and opportunities in the contemporary.

I also appreciate Michaelson's provision of several reader-friendly sections such as those in which he quotes a passage from The Art of War and then offers a "translation" of its relevance, followed by a "Manager's Commentary" in which he recommends appropriate application of Sun Tzu's insight. Throughout his rigorous and eloquent narrative, Michaelson also includes checklists such as the one found on page 114 when he identifies "key ingredients" which are common to all growing organizations: customer focus by creating systems that deliver perceived value; selection (i.e. hiring) of decent as well as competent people; and then training them with highly-interactive learning sessions which are both formal and on-the-job.

Finally, I hold this book in high regard because Michaelson also includes 13 brief but insightful commentaries by senior-level executives who share their own real-world experiences. Fort example, Domminick Attanosio (senior advisor, Young and Partners, LLC) explains how a public pharmaceutical company developed a new delivery system to adjustable dosing of oral medications by following each of several of Sun Tzu's basic principles:

"Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight 100 battles with no danger of defeat."

"Travel where there is no enemy."

"Pursue one's strategic designs to overawe the enemy."

"An army can be raised only when there is money at hand."

"The general whose only interest is to protect his people and promote the best interests of his sovereign is the precious jewel of the state."

"The enlightened rulers must deliberate upon the plans to go to battle, and good generals generally execute them,."

"To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence."

Obviously, it would be a fool's errand to manage by slogans but even more foolish to ignore what can be learned from sources such as Sun Tzu's The Art of War. The knowledge these sources provide can -- and should -- guide and inform the careful selection and then effective execution of appropriate strategies and tactics. Credit Michaelson with a thorough understanding and brilliant interpretation of what can be learned from arguably the world's first management consultant.

Bravo!

Sun Tzu for today
If you liked the Art of War you will like this.I really liked the summary of all the rules at the end of the book. ... Read more

Book Description
The most widely read military classic in human history, newly translated and revised in accordance with newly discovered materials of unprecedented historical significance. Fluid, crisp and rigorously faithful to the original, this new text is destined to stand as the definitive version of this cornerstone work of Classical Chinese. Of compelling importance not only to students of Chinese history and literature, but to all readers interested in the art or the philosophy of war. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

A great book
This is an inspirative book.Written by ancient chinesse philosopher during spring and autumn period but his theme is still relevant for our daily life.

quality book
This is a great version of Sun Tzu's Art of War.The key items I wanted in this text were a quality translation of Sun Tzu's work in a hard bound book.This offering provides both.There are tons of versions of this work out there, so take a little time and search what's available.Everyone has a slightly different take on what they are looking for and because of the huge amount of offerings you can probably find a translation that matches what you are seeking.

Misleading and Demeaning
According to Professor Ames, "From the perspective of the more rationalistic Western world view, the penalty the Chinese must pay for the absence of that underlying metaphysical infrastructure necessary to guarantee a single-order universe is what we take to be intelligibility and predictibility." (introduction, p.54)Considering that language depends on intelligibility and predictibility for its communicative function, one might wonder how Professor Ames then proposes to interpret and translate Chinese at all.
On examination, as might be expected from such an attitude, he does indeed make illogical misreadings of the text.These misinterpretations do reveal deficiencies, not in Chinese reasoning, but in the professor's own understanding of the nature of language, linguistics, and semantics in general; of literary Chinese grammar and vocabulary in particular; and of underlying principles and practical procedures of military science.
This, moreover, in spite of the fact that Sun Tzu's work is not really difficult and has already been translated into English many times.
Also, a comparison of East and West relevant to military science would logically treat the works of such Western writers on war as Machiavelli and Clausewitz.Military science is based on physical principles and psychological dynamics, not on metaphysical musings.The only use of metaphysics in war is in the context of psychological operations, that is on the cultural front of warfare, when a claim to exclusive possession of abstract truth is used tactically to incite violence by inflaming overbearing self-righteousness and antagonism toward others.
Professor Ame's unsubstantiated generalizations about Chinese and Western thought do nothing to advance an objective understanding of either, much less of Sun Tzu's work, but rather serve to project a demeaning image of China.

Sun-Tzu: The Art of War (Classics of Ancient China)
This is an excellent translation of the various known texts including some of the more recent archaeological finds.Ames' preface also provides a valuable context for the writings - historical, cultural and philosophical.His insights into the Chinese culture, both past and present, prepares the reader well for the subsequent translations.The distinctions between western modes of thought, with their deep divisions between the physical and spiritual, are contrasted with the Chinese philosophy of continuous change within all extant things.For them there is no dichotomy - everything is defined by their roles and the ability to understand reality and truth as it is.Also, while I cannot read Chinese, it was cool to have the original writings provided for all the translations.Even if you've read the translations before, this book provides an excellent update to a literary/philosophical classic.

Sun-Tzu: The Art of War, edited by Roger T. Ames
This is the translated version that also includes the original Chinese text. Hence for the reader who can read traditional classic Chinese, one can truly appreciate what Sun-Tzu had achieved. His work is a masterpiece of scholarly literature as well as a demonstration of his military geniusness and insight.
Another benefit of having the original text side by side is that there are still nuiances missed by the standard translating due to the multiple meanings of some Chinese words and the varied use of custom slangs. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Engrossing, well-researched.
Mr. Halter's richly informative and highly entertaining exploration of the complex relationship between war and gaming technology sucks you in and doesn't let go until the very last page.War buffs and game enthusiasts alike will find themselves engrossed in this book, but even those of us who approach it with far more limited knowledge will be delighted by the journey into the workings of our own country's war machine.

Interesting perspective on society and war
I picked up Halter's book almost by accident.Although I'm a military historian and wargamer I've never been interested in the video game genre. I was just about to put the book back on the shelf when I realized the book isn't really about video games per se but about how computer wargames have been shaped by war and how computer wargames fit into our culture.

Halter argues that from the beginning of the computer age, when primarily military money was used to fund computer research and development, to the present there has been an almost symbiotic relationship between computer games and war.One, in turn, fed the other as experience in war led to more realistic computer games which allowed computer wargames (or simulations, if you prefer) to increase the realism of training.At the same time the knowledge created by the military-industrial complex (to which Halter adds academia) spilled into the entertainment industry.This in turn developed more realistic animation and interactive capabilities that went back into the military's training simulation programs.

The book is easy to read, as you'd expect from a journalist, and certainly causes you to think a bit differently about the development of the computer and the entertainment industry as it relates to wargames.The only (small) issues I had was that its focus on the military aspect of computer R&D does not allow a consideration of NASA's impact on computer development.The other issue was that, as a journalist and not an academic, it is not well foot-noted or sourced so you can't go to the sources to verify or validate the information he uses to support his argument.

Having said that, Halter certainly presents an interesting and thought-provoking argument and commentary on the relationship between society and the military as it's connected via computer wargames.I wouldn't want to use it as a source for an academic paper, but it certainly presents a thesis that makes for interesting reading.

Great Book about a subject that had to be written about
As a professional in the Modeling and Simulation field I see this book as a great analysis of the mistaken belief that because you can play video games you can fight a war and take on complex social problems.Video games are made for entertainment to satisfy the need for humans to play.If you put the psychology of real human beings into video games, you will not have fun game. Mr. Halter's book give great insight into the problems that have to be overcome to create a "realistic" environment for the training of future soldiers, and what we have so far are not even close.The day we can have a kid walk from the video arcade to a M1 Abrams tank and fight effectively we will have reached our goal. . .but, is that where we want to be?

An eye-opening history
This is a clear-headed and fascinating account of the many complex links between war and video games, some of which I knew something about (America's Army for example) and others I'd never heard about (like the Institute for Creative Technology at the USC, where the Army develops videogames for training). Halter approaches the subject matter with a wry but even-handed manner, and he makes clear that he's an avid game player himself, unlike many political journalists who have taken on similar subjects. He begins in ancient civilizations, runs us through the ways games were used in Victorian times for strategy, and reveals how military needs funded the early hacker culture where video games were invented. About half the book is about the post-9/11 era, however, and the part I knew least about is his final chapter dealing with games about war made by activists and artists. All in all it is a thoroughly entertaining read, and a sharp analysis of the way in which the experience of real war and conflict have seeped into our popular culture for reasons that aren't always obvious.

A free, biased opinion of a culture that he does not understand
I had bought this book in the hopes that it would explore some of the fascinating and complex links in out society between war and games, espically in video games. I was greatly disappointed in the content of this book. Mr. Halter seems to imply throughout the book that the "Video Game Generation"simply will not amount to much due to time spent during the formative years playing vidoe games. He touches little on the complex social networks that have arisen on the internet and over such services as XBOX live, and merely seems to repeat his belife that the United States Army is manipulating an entire generation through it's sponsorship of a video game. In more than a few instances in this book, he seems to implythe tech savy youth of today are bound for failure due to their passion for and lifelong interaction with, video games. This book ends up being more like a manifesto against video games than it does an objective analysis of conflict and it's presence in our society through the guise of video games. I do not recomend it as either an assessment of the video game generation, nor of the interactions and connections between society and conflict. In fact, I don't reccomend it at all. ... Read more

Book Description
The new paperback version of the world's most popular book on strategy adapted for managers plus a free download of audio book. The book includes the complete text of Sun Tzu's Art of War on the left-hand pages and a direct adaptation to management on the facing pages. The book includes the keys for a FREE download of the MP3 of the complete audio book for listening on Ipods or similar devices. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Detailed application of interest to executives and educators
This book analyzed Sun Tzu's principles and theroies extremely well.It's a must for executives and educators.

Enlightening & Thought Provoking
It is very difficult to find any book that is error-free.What is more important is the contents.The Californian reviewer seems to be very biased against Asian authors!He obviously does not know the very highcredentials of the senior author and his works.He also deliberately choseto ignore the comments of the authors on ethics which were given strongcoverage towards the end of Chapter 7.Not only have I read the book, buthave recommended it to many of my American corporate clients who greatlyenjoyed it.I personally think that this is the best book in the market onthe applications of Sun Tzu's Art of War to business.The authors deservestrong commendations for their great effort.The mere fact that the bookis still selling today without any revised version since it was firstpublished in 1991 speaks volumes about its credibility and popularity.Howmany books are in such demand after 9 years?

By the way, the ignorance ofthe Californian reviewer is appalling and mind-boggling.I hope not theaverage American is not like him.What has this book got to do with therecent economic ills of Asia?For his information, I like him to know thatMalaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, and manyother Asian economies are NOT dominated by the Chinese.Interestingly,those that are truly dominated by the Chinese - Taiwan, Hong Kong, Chinaand Singapore - suffered least in the recent crisis.

Unethical -- and poorly written
This book prescribes that being unethical (cheating your competitors, lying to them, subverting their trusted advisors, spying on them and harrassing them when weak) is desirable and indeed good strategy.There isno coverage of any aspect of developing one's own assets or competitivestrengths -- just of taking advantage of one's competitors'vulnerabilities.These strategies are passed of as "ancient Chinesewisdom".If this is Chinese wisdom, it certainly explains thecrurrent fall of the economies that they dominate!This is also a clumsilywritten book replete with grammatical mistakes and cliches. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (3)

The key to strategic thinking!
This book is a must read for the stragic thinker (or wanna be strategic thinker).I read this with the intention of applying the strategic principles to my poker game and was pretty pleased at how easy it was to do so.I expect to improve my game drastically after reading this and expect to earn a handsome profit as a result.

Everyone should know about Sun Tzu...
I take a star off because, frankly, alot of the geography/history is a bit too arcane for the Western reader.

But it's a great book nonetheless.

Excellent Interpretation
This book provides a modern and more digestable reading ... Read more

Book Description

We live in a vicious, highly competitive workplace environment, and things aren't getting any better. Jobs are few and far between, and people aren't any nicer now than they were when Ghengis Khan ran around in big furs killing people in unfriendly acquisitions. For thousands of years, people have been reading the writings of the deeply wise, but also extremely dead Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, who was perhaps the first to look on the waging of war as a strategic art that could be taught to people who wished to be warlords and other kinds of senior managers.

We live in a vicious, highly competitive workplace environment, and things aren't getting any better. Jobs are few and far between, and people aren't any nicer now than they were when Ghengis Khan ran around in big furs killing people in unfriendly acquisitions. For thousands of years, people have been reading the writings of the deeply wise, but also extremely dead Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, who was perhaps the first to look on the waging of war as a strategic art that could be taught to people who wished to be warlords and other kinds of senior managers.

In a nutshell, Sun Tzu taught that readiness is all, that knowledge of oneself and the enemy was the foundation of strength and that those who fight best are those who are prepared and wise enough not to fight at all. Unfortunately, in the current day, this approach is pretty much horse hockey, a fact that has not been recognized by the bloated, tree-hugging Sun Tzu industry, which churns out mushy-gushy pseudo-philosophy for business school types who want to make war and keep their hands clean.

Sun Tzu was a Sissy will transcend all those efforts and teach the reader how to make war, win and enjoy the plunder in the real world, where those who do not kick, gouge and grab are left behind at the table to pay the tab. Students of Bing will be taught how to plan and execute battles that hurt other people a lot, and advance their flags and those of their friends, if possible. All military strategies will be explored, from mustering, equipping, organizing, plotting, scheming, rampaging, squashing and reaping spoils.

Every other book on the Art of War bows low to Sun Tzu. We're going to tell him to get lost and inform our readers how real war is currently conducted on the battlefield of life." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Excellent service despite unfortunate circumstances
My order failed to reach me in a timely manner, neither through the fault of the merchant nor I.However, as soon as I contacted them about my issue, they promptly emailed me back and the book was in my hands 3 days later!Would highly recommend!Cheers.

You need Yinyang.You need Bing.
I think the one-star reviewers are missing the joke here.For those of us who read the back page of Fortune first, Gil Schwartz's Stanley Bing is the thing.His irreverent brand of humor is always spot on.His writing is crisp and well-constructed (you expected anything less from CBS' Head of PR?).His humor is biting, yet very smart, witty and delightfully unexpected.

Here's one example of many from the book - one of Bing's stock-in-trade tricks are his faux charts and tables.In one table, he reviews Warriors and their Actions.The table starts off like this:

Warrior - Action
------------------------
Moses - Parted Red Sea, made flood

Pharaoh - Drove into the flood

Howell Raines - Flooded the Zone

That's just a wonderfully witty free-association getting from Moses to Howell Raines.The book is filled with brilliant set pieces like that.If you love the Bing columns, you'll love the book.Think of them as extended columns.Bing fans are legion.His books deliver the goods.

This book should be in the section under Jokes
The most infamous chapter in the book is "Finding your Button". Like some Lucas Arts movie, tap into to Dark Side mentality. Use your anger to win Bing wants you to promote your anger, mangify it into unstoppable rage! He advocates using alcohol Vodka, Gin and scotch to enhance your anger. I found Bings book appalling and histerical.

In my youth I had some martial arts training and to tell you the truth, I would gladly take on an rage induced drunk any day over a cool headed calculating killer. If the purpose of this chapter was ment to induce rage induced laughter... Bing has accomplished his goal, hahahaha

just brillant!
This book reflect the business enviroment and the leader with emotional inteligence or not (this is the latest fasion aboout management), still has the same brutal essence. Stanley Bing gives a look with humour and laughting about it.

What?
First I abhor the very Idea that you can compare War with the business environment. Second if your going to make it you can at least be clear which he was not. I am glad I only borrowed the book. ... Read more

Book Description
The ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu is universally recognized as the greatest military strategist in history, a master of warfare interpretation. This condensed version of his influential classic imparts the knowledge and skills to overcome every adversary in war, at the office, or in everyday life.Download Description
The art of war is an excellent reference for anyone who commands a military force and needs guidance.Perhaps a buisiness owner or manager would find similar qualities between the book and their situation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (80)

A little small
It was smaller than what I was expecting, but a good read and easily fits in your pants pocket

excellent condition
just what i ordered and asked for.I would do business with them again.

Good Book!
The book arrived in the mail very quickly and in great condition.The book was a lot smaller than I thought it be, but that is ok.
Thank you

The little book G.W. should have read
Wisdom in a little book, what more can I say. Required reading at any military Academy,worth a damn {A.W.O.L George} Oh well. It translates through the technological advances.

beautiful little book!
a must-have classic sent in great conditions! a collectable item without a doubt! ... Read more

Amazon.com
"When the strike of a hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because oftiming." So wrote the Chinese strategist Sun Tzu more than two millennia ago inthe text that has come to be known as The Art of War, one that guidesmilitary planners to this day. Former infantry officer Mark McNeilly examinesthe lessons of Sun Tzu's book not metaphorically, as he did for the boardroom inhis Sun Tzu and the Art of Business, but literally, considering its dictaon such matters as the necessity of speedy action and solid leadership in thelight of real battles and campaigns throughout history--and those yet to befought. For instance, McNeilly looks at the Allied victory over Iraq in thelight of Sun Tzu's pronouncement, "Just as flowing water avoids the heights andhastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes weakness."Matching intelligent commentary with a complete text of Sun Tzu's classic,McNeilly's book is of much interest to students of military history and currentevents alike. --Gregory McNameeBook Description
Long acknowledged as a classic text on strategy, Sun Tzu's The Art of War has been admired by leaders as diverse as Mao Zedong and General Norman Schwartzkopf. However, written two thousand years ago, the book can be somewhat daunting to the modern reader. Now Mark McNeilly, author of Sun Tzu and the Art of Business, which made Sun Tzu accessible to the business executive, has extracted the six concepts most applicable to modern warfare, making them easy to understand and apply to military situations. Drawing on a wealth of fascinating historical examples, McNeilly shows how these six principles might be used in wars of the future-both conventional wars and terrorist conflicts-and how they can provide insight into current affairs, such as the war on terrorism and China's increasingly important strategic and military role in the world. In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, McNeilly has written a new chapter for this paperback edition, which addresses how Sun Tzu's ideas can be applied to the war on terrorism. He also describes how to win the information war, how to lead by example, and how to use alliances to defeat the opponent. Including the full text of The Art of War in the popular translation by Samuel Griffith, with cross-references to quotations used in the book, Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare unlocks these elusive secrets for anyone interested in strategy and warfare, whether they are professional soldiers, military history buffs, or business executives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare
As an appendix, this book contains Samuel B. Griffith's translation of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War". According to Griffith, Sun Tzu divides his book into 13 chapters: Estimates / Waging War / Offensive Strategy / Dispositions / Energy / Weaknesses and Strengths / Maneuver / The Nine Variables / Marches / Terrain / The Nine Varieties of Ground / Attack by Fire / Employment of Secret Agents.

Mark McNeilly eschews these divisions and claims to have extracted six fundamental principles from Sun Tzu's text. These principles are -

1. Win All Without Fighting: Achieving The Objective Without Destroying It

2. Avoid Strength, Attack Weakness: Striking Where The Enemy Is Most Vulnerable

3. Deception And Foreknowledge: Winning The Information War

4. Speed And Preparation: Moving Swiftly To Overcome Resistance

5. Shaping The Enemy: Preparing The Battlefield

6. Character-Based Leadership: Leading By Example

Each principle is given a chapter. McNeilly uses quotations from Sun Tzu throughout the chapter to explicate the principle, and gives detailed examples from the history of war to show the principle in action or neglect. Since each quotation is lifted out its context within Sun Tzu's presentation and laid down to McNeilly's own purpose, this becomes reminiscent of the manner a preacher may quote "chapter and verse" from the Bible to bolster and validate his own point of view. For example, in chapter 3, Deception and Foreknowledge (pp. 68-95), we are given scattered texts from every chapter of Sun Tzu's book other than chapters 2 and 12.

McNeilly's six principles certainly seem fundamental, but they may not constitute an "axiomatic foundation" - so to speak - of war strategy; and in any case, they certainly were not recognized in any explicit manner by Sun Tzu, whose text this book is supposed to be based upon. A more accurate title for the book would be "Six Strategic Principles Inspired by Sun Tzu's Art of War".

The Griffith translation is available as an independent text as The Art of War

Great book to help you understand Sun Tzu
I read this book back in 2003 and I was totally blown away by it. This is an excellent book to read if you have ever tried to understand Sun Tzu and failed miserably. McNeilly gives you real life military examples and applys them to Sun Tzu. The real life examples help you get a feel for The Art Of War. After your done McNeilly has "The Art Of War" in the back of the book for your reading pleasure. Now you will be able to understand it more in depth, and truly appreciate it after McNeilly gives you the keys to it's interpretation. This book is well worth the time you will invest reading it.

great service
Purchased the book on Friday and recieved it on Monday. The timing I recieved the book was great.

Treats Sun Tzu as Scrabble
If this is the only military theory you were ever going to get, got your history from comic books and the movies, and had never made a serious study, this would be OK.Otherwise, avoid this junk studiously and stick with Griffith.

There's nothing here that any junior officer hasn't expounded upon in the o-club, usually after they've had a few after an excersize.The various "quotes" given are removed from context, interpreted selectively, and some even originate the commentators, not with Sun Tzu.The way this is done you could get the same strategy advice from a Scrabble set.

His history is so poor I lost track of the incorrect dates.Some of the examples have nothing to do with the text used to supporting it if it is correct.He botched the Griffith translation completely, leaving out the footnotes that don't support his position.

This is one more book intended only to be sold at overpriced business seminars.Small wonder it sell so cheap on the aftermarket.

Sun Tzu for the Western World
It is basically the author's interpretation of Sun Tzu's the Art of War and applies it to modern military strategy. The book also puts it in Western context using Western military battles as examples. I liked the author's grouping of the teachings into principles and the examples that he gives. Also his chapter on Sun Tzu and terrorism gives the book a relevant feel. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to get a grasp on the ides of the ideas of The Art of War, especially in a Western context. But I would also highly recommend reading through the translation of the original at the end of the book. I give this an A on the StuPage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Interesting work of ancient China
First of all, I have read the 1983 addition of "The Art of War" which Clavell edited but assume the 1981 addition is similar.Sun Tzu's chapters on military strategy are interesting reading for those who enjoy learning about ancient China or military history.Alot of what he writes is common sense but he puts it together in an easy readible fashion and combines it with some very interesting opinions on strategy.I assume that is one reason it is still read today around 2,500 years later.Some of his views on tactics and strategy are perhaps dated due to technology while others (especially spying and overall strategy) would still have merit to modern commanders.Overall, a brief but at times fascinating look through the eyes of an ancient military philosipher. ... Read more

Book Description
Written 2500 years ago, The Art of War is the oldest military treatise in the world, a classic study of competition and rivalry that has been utilized by soldiers ever since. Napoleon studied its strategies and tactics. It is required reading for intelligence personnel in the United States Marine Corps. "Warriors" of Wall Street and in corporation cultures rely on it for guidance. It's even been rumored to help players win at the board game Risk.This 1910 translation by the British Museum's Lionel Giles is the most popular one available, a highly readable version of this still startlingly relevant text. SUN TZU lived in China in the 6th century B.C. and was a contemporary of Confucius.LIONEL GILES also translated The Book of Mencius and Sayings of Confucius. ... Read more

Book Description
All managers need to think strategically but few know any of the rules of strategy, except by hearsay. Working with companies such as Kraft and Nabisco, Gary Gagliardi developed this new version of Sun Tzu's strategic principles especially for managers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Classic but also contemporary

Others have their own reasons for praising this volume. Here are three of mine. First, I commend those involved at Clearbridge Publishing on the superior production values which are comparable with those of The Illustrated Art of War published by Oxford University Press.In all respects, the material is presented with consummate style and grace. Although I know nothing about classic Chinese, I also commend Gary Gagliardi on the clarity and fluidity of his translation of The Art of War. He skillfully juxtaposes the content of each chapter with correlations to the contemporary business world. Finally, I appreciate the provision of an "Index of Topics in The Art of War" (pages 188-189) which enables each reader to locate key concepts of greatest relevance to her or his own circumstances.

Here are several examples of the aforementioned juxtapositions, excerpted from Chapter 12. Additional correlations are provided in the chapter after this initial segment.

Sun Tzu: There are five ways of attacking with fire.
Gagliardi: There are five ways to shorten cycle time:

Sun Tzu: The first is burning troops.
Gagliardi: First, you can speed production.

Sun Tzu: The second is burning supplies.
Gagliardi: Second, you can speed supplies.

Sun Tzu: The third is burning supply transport.
Gagliardi: Third, you can speed delivery.

Sun Tzu: The fourth is burning storehouses.
Gagliardi: Fourth, you can eliminate storage.

Sun Tzu: The fifth is burning camps.
Gagliardi: Fifth, you can speed communication.

Obviously, these are not head-snapping revelations. They focus on the basic strategies and tactics of effective management.Sun Tzu formulated them; Gagliardi suggests how to apply each of them approximately 2,600 years later. As he explains, "Sun Tzu teaches strategy as a system of continuously improving your situation. Sun Tzu teaches that only a few key factors define your strategic position. Success goes not to the strongest or the most aggressive but to those who best understand their situation and what their alternatives for improving it really are. When you have mastered Sun Tzu's system of strategy, you are able to almost instantly analyze competitive situations, spot opportunities, and make the appropriate decisions."

Therefore, when committed to "continuously improving" a situation, it may be better to retreat from a battlefield or vacate a market than to attack against superior force or invest (and waste) more money where there is little, if any, chance of profitability. Gagliadi asserts that the challenge of management is effectiveness and efficiency. There must be both. In this instance, I am reminded of one of Peter Drucker's observations in an article for the Harvard Business Journal (1963): "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all." Sun Tzu condemns waste in all forms, including opportunities to win a battle before it is fought (hence the importance of preparation) and to launch initiatives against points of weakness (hence the importance of focus).Several who read this brief commentary may incorrectly conclude that Sun Tzu's ideas and Gagliadi's interpretation of them are obvious, perhaps even simplistic. Consider this observation by Albert Einstein: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."Gagliardi acknowledges that his book is a simplification of Sun Tzu's strategic system but adds that the complete system is "sophisticated and deep." I agree.

For Sun Tzu, paradox is essential to effective military strategy: When distant, seem near and vice versa; when small, seem large and vice versa; when strong, seem weak and vice versa, etc. Gagliadi suggests that, in Sun Tzu's system, managers must master four skills: knowing (i.e. having a sense of self and of place), foreseeing (i.e. recognizing developments which suggest appropriate opportunities), moving (i.e. initiating effective action in response to such opportunities), and positioning (i.e. knowing how, when, and where to initiate such action).These are precisely the same skills all of us need to navigate our way through an often confusing world. Sun Tzu and Gary Gagliardi are among those who can guide and inform that perilous journey but only we can embark, proceed, and eventually complete it, wherever and whatever the final destination proves to be. ... Read more

Book Description

This Special Edition of The Art of War by Sun Tzu presents this timeless classic in two forms:

Section I contains the complete thirteen chapters of Sun Tzu's masterpiece in Chinese together with the English translation of Lionel Giles without notes or commentary. This presentation avoids the objection that commentary tends to clutter and obscure the clarity of thought of the ancient military genius.

Section II contains the complete translation by Lionel Giles including his extensive introduction and the fully annotated text with explanatory notes and critical commentary. His Introduction includes an historical account of Sun Tzu's work, evaluations by and of early Chinese commentators, an essay examining the traditional Chinese attitudes toward war and a bibliography that details Giles' source materials. The text in this section includes critical commentary and notes by both the Chinese historians as well as by Giles himself.

Lionel Giles, as the Keeper of the Department of Oriental printed Books and Manuscripts of the British Museum, was uniquely qualified to translate and explain this great classic Chinese work to Western readers. First published in 1910, Giles' translation is widely considered to be the definitive English version.

Other Special Editions in this series which deal with the subject of warfare and strategy include:
The Art of War By Mao Tse-tung - Special Edition
The Art of War By Baron De Jomini - Special Edition
The Art of War & The Prince By Machiavelli - Special Edition ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent version of this book
Have three versions of this book and found this version to be the most interesting, precise and easily understood of them all.

The Best Edition

This special edition of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" (available in both Paperback and Hardcover) is absolutely the best edition on the market. Not only is Lionel Giles' translation widely considered to be the most readable and scholarly, this particular book gives you two copies of the famous classic: one simple direct translation from the Chinese characters (which are also included in the book) and another copy which is interspersed with extensive notes and commentary by both Lionel Giles and a several native Chinese scholars.

Having two copies of the translation in one volume makes this edition a real treasure. The explanations and details, like the story of training the concubines and several other tales, are not available in the plain translations and they add immeasurably to the richness of the book. By the same token, having a plain, unadorned version in hand so you can just follow Sun Tzu's logical progression is a great plus. Having it all together in one volume is what makes this particular edition remarkable.

If you are looking for the best version of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", then look no further. This is it.

... Read more

Book 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A few grains of truth in a lot of chaff
If you are going to buy a copy You can not go wrng with "Penguin Clasics".

Today many of Sun Tzu quotas are floating around mixed with Shakespeare and the Bible. And as with many of the quote they are out of context and misleading. The quoter usually thinks repeating the word is some sort of magic.

It is easy with hindsight and a closer look at the future to dismiss Sun Tzu as his practical tactical knowledge is of a time and place long gone. He spends a lot of time on the use of weapons and information gathering techniques of the time. This can be interesting in a historical context; other wise it is quite amusing.

Oh yes those grains of truth I mentioned, well they may sound like clichés but they are still viable. "Know your enemy and know yourself". Others are just practical sense and statistical outcomes that you learn in any military training. I could go through the list, but again that is why you buy the book.

Now just as you decide that the book is outdated for any practical purposes today we have artillery and now stealth and precision, the reminder that "no two wars are alike" and "it is flexibility that makes a difference" is being shown today to still be true. Even in today's wars there is a need for good intelligence and deception. We put a lot of time and energy into Psy-Ops. Sun Tzu shows the advantage in specialized units and crack troops.

I have spent several years in the military and in business and can say this book is a nice addition to history, otherwise of very little value to today's world for war.

As a Project Manager I can tell you that this book has little value to today's business. Projects are about efficiency, cooperation, and ROI not war.

The Art of War
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.

Best if read by Chinese generals
If a classic is a book that everyone wants to have read but no one wants to read, then what do you call a book that everyone wants to quote but no one notices is not really relevant to much of anything? Sorry for the downer of an intro, but after hearing about Sun-tzu's The Art of War for so long, I didn't find the end product to be very enlightening. Sure, it was rather fun to read through, and the commentary told me a bit about ancient history in China, but ultimately it wasn't really a very life-changing read. A lot of it is repetitive. A lot is obvious: "Attack where he is unprepared; Appear where you are unexpected." And a lot is strange, like the six types of terrain: Accessible, Entangling, Deadlock, Enclosed, Precipitous, Distant. Geographers would point out that after reading the explanations, the grouping is very odd indeed. These descriptions do not exactly partition the landscape. And in case there's not enough confusion, the next chapter covers nine types of ground.

I don't mean to be too sarcastic. This should be an interesting book for anyone with an interest in ancient warfare or in Chinese history. As a strategy manual, it condenses a lot of useful hints in one place so the general is less tempted to forget important points. But this has been quoted from at length, and often appears to be some sort of ultimate guide to survival in modern times, in business for example. I think Michael Douglass's character in Wall Street was supposed to read it, though I barely remember that movie so I can't confirm this. The thing is it's really not like that. Much of the writing is irrelevant unless you happen to be in command of an ancient army (it doesn't have to be Chinese, though it would help). I suppose if I was transported back in time and found myself commanding the army of Wu against the army of Yue and could only have two books with me, this would be one (the other being a good Chinese dictionary).

In this version of the text, Sun-tzu's original text is presented first, and then is repeated verbatim with extensive commentary from historical writers, some contemporary with master Sun, and others in much more recent times. Unless you plan to study it carefully first and then read it a second time with notes, this means a hundred pages are extraneous. On the other hand, these commentaries are quite interesting, and can fill in a lot of the historical detail that is missing from master Sun's Spartan text. This, to me anyway, was more interesting material. Those kingdoms of that era were certainly living in interesting times. I don't know how many stories are real and how many are folklore, but they certainly are fun to read about. So buy and read the Art of War, but please do so for the right reason. I think anyone who claims this as his or her guidebook for life is just doing some historical and literary name-dropping. This is a book best appreciated on its own terms.
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Book Description
A study of national security and military strategy by Col. Chester Richards (USAF Ret.), suggests that ancient strategic wisdom may help solve the dilemma confronting the U.S. military: spending on defense exceeds that of any combination of potential adversaries, but the services still face cancellation of weapon systems and lack of funds for training, spares, and care and feeding of the troops.Richards suggests U.S. military leaders can break out of the "dollars equals defense" mindset, and create more effective forces.The second edition contains a new forward written in response to the effects that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States have engendered in the U.S. military. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Brilliant Presentation of the Wisdom of 2,000 Years
Col Richards walks the reader through how Sun Tzu and John Boyd might have assessed 4th generation warfare and the world in which we find ourselves. His presentation is thought provoking to say the least.

Sun Tzu's wisdom has survived 2,000 years of study by people from a young Mao to the United States Marines.Sun Tzu is all about winning the battle before the battle begins. His wisdom is durable beyond expectations,
" Those whose generals are able and not constrained by governments are victorious ."

Sun Tzu speaks of "The Way"where there is unity of purpose between the ruler and the population. By inference a goal is to break that bond.

John Boyd, cigar chomping fighter pilot turned student of war. His early studies focused on why one side won aerial combat in the jet age. After annoying the Fighter Mafia of the USAF to no end he was sent off to an obscure Pentagon office, hidden exile. However, Boyd used the time to launch a study of Patterns of Conflict, which turned into a monumental brief. Out of this effort also came the OODA loop which stressed the importance of maintaining an advantage by processing information and operating on a faster cycle than the opposition.

Boyd's greatest contribution was not to the USAF but rather to a fundamental restructuring of the Marine Corps battle doctrine. After the 1991 Gulf War the Marine commandant gave Boyd much of the credit for helping to achieve what many pundits believed to be impossible, rapid movement through the heavily armed Iraqi forces occupying Kuwait.

Again and again Sun Tzu, Boyd and Richards stress the importance of non combat war. Victory, not slaughter is the goal.

During the early days of the war in Iraq the press was filled with reports of very tired US troops, often so far beyond their supply lines that they were short on food,yet they continued on.Why,too often the Generals are seeking near perfect preparation while Boyd and others understood that the ability to act is a way that kept the enemy off balance was the quickest and lowest cost way to victory.Richards seeks to restructure the military along the visions of Boyd and Sun Tzu.

Richards acknowledges that he goes far beyond his mentor, John Boyd, in his recommendations for an overhaul of the US military from top to bottom.Richard's ideas are bold and near revolutionary, reduce the officer ranks, close the service academies, promote officers from the ranks of the enlisted, fill pilot slots in the AF, Navy and Marines with non officers. The list goes on.

Col Richards has produced a highly readable book, filled with wisdom of the past 2,000 years along with his own ideas.Highly recommended.

An Impressive Set of Subjects
As I understand it, Dr. Richards' book is in fact an amended version of a presentation he gave at a conference in Quantico in Fall of 2001. The presentation itself, which is available on the net in Powerpoint format, was a straight-forward summary of the new situation we find ourselves in: the age of 4th Generation Warfare. The book expands on the presentation, pointing out the obvious flaws of U.S. military management by examining the ideas of John Boyd and Sun Tzu.

In an era where the U.S. still emphasizes gadgets over human assets, answering every other problem with more cash rather than new concepts, Boyd's advice ("People. Ideas. Technology. In that order.") seems more practical than ever. Richards' work is a good examination of Boyd's core concepts and solid guide to reorganizing U.S. Defense strategy.

Readers who enjoyed this book may also want to take a look at H.J. Poole's "The Tiger Way." It applies similar concepts towards the reorganization of the military on the tactical level.

21st Century / 2100 AD
This is a short book but it will get you started and more.
What is an OODA cycle?Don't know.
Better find out today

A Must Read!
The difference between an effective and efficient military as opposed to an ineffective and bloated military.A must read for every military planner and every citizen concerned with runaway government spending. ... Read more