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The Art of War

By Tzu Sun
3.95 goodreads logo

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( 556,039 ratings, 22,683 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Art of War by Tzu Sun is a timeless treatise on military strategy and tactics, offering insights into warfare that extend beyond the battlefield. It covers various topics such as leadership, planning, and the importance of understanding both the enemy and oneself. The principles laid out advocate for strategic thinking and psychological acumen, which can be applied to various competitive scenarios in life.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are fascinated by strategic thinking and ancient wisdom. It's a timeless treatise on military strategy and tactics that offers insights relevant not only to warfare but also to planning and decision-making in various aspects of life, including business and personal development.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Capturing the literary quality of "The Art of War", this book presents the core text in two different formats. It allows readers to form their own first impressions of the ancient words of wisdom ascribed to Sun-tzu. It includes an introduction, chronologies, suggested readings, and other apparatus.

For more than two thousand years, Sun-Tzu?sThe Art of Warhas provided military leaders with essential advice on battlefield tactics, managing troops and terrain, and employing cunning and deception.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

For more than two thousand years, The Art of War by Sun Tzu has provided military leaders with essential advice on battlefield tactics, managing troops and terrain, and employing cunning and deception.

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, John Minford brings this seminal work to life for today's readers.

Capturing the literary quality of The Art of Warβ€”its lucid, epigrammatic, almost poetic styleβ€”as well as its philosophical and strategic content, Minford presents the core text in two different formats. First, the unadorned thirteen chapters allow readers to form their own first impressions of the ancient words of wisdom ascribed to Sun Tzu. Then, the same text appears with extensive running commentary from the canon of traditional Chinese commentators and others, providing context and subtext to the work.

A lively, learned introduction, chronologies, suggested readings, and other valuable apparatus round out this authoritative volume. Even those readers familiar with The Art of War will experience it anew, finding it more fascinatingβ€”and more chillingβ€”than ever.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Art of War is more than just a military manual; it's revered for its profound philosophical insights into strategy and leadership applicable to various life situations. John Minford suggests it serves as a timeless guide, offering wisdom that extends beyond traditional warfare, acting as a reflection on life itself.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780143105756

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 September 2009

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by John Minford
  • Introduction by John Minford

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 267g

Pages: 384

About the Author

Little is known about Sun Tzu (544-496 B.C.) and his life during the Warring States period after the decline of the Zhou dysnasty, but his classic, The Art of War, has been one of the central works of Chinese literature for 2500 years. John Minford (editor/translator) studied Chinese at Oxford and at the Australian National University and has taught in China, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. He edited (with Geremie Barme) Seeds of Fire- Chinese Voices of Conscience and (with Joseph S. M. Lau) Chinese Classical Literature- An Anthology of Translations. He has translated numerous works from the Chinese, including the last two volumes of the Penguin Classics edition of Cao Xueqin's eighteenth-century novel The Story of the Stone and the martial-arts fiction of the contemporary Hong Kong novelist Louis Cha.

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