The Art of War

As others have noted some of the tactical advice is thousands of years out of date, but the vision of strategic issues is still very relevant. This edition is well written and an easy read.

It does not take an interest in the military to make this a great read.
It is also a great read for anyone interested in politics and will help one to understand the antics of folks like James Carville.

Sun Tzu is also the foundation of much of the work of Col John Boyd that has had such a major impact on the current military.

A reader of Sun Tzu might have a very different take on why there has not been a massive terrorist attack on America after 9-11. One of his basic principles is to separate the population from the enemy leadership. Clearly 9-11 connected the leaders with the population. The absence of an attack has allowed the anti-war movement space to become effective.

Knowledge of Sun Tzu is most helpful in understanding a major force on current world leaders from Chinese leadership Muslim fundamentalists.

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The Art of War

This special edition of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" (The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition) 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.

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The Art of War and other Laws of Power from MobileReference

The Art of War was compiled more than two and a half thousand years ago by a mysterious warrior-philosopher, Sun Tzu. The Art of War is still the most influential book of strategy in the world, studied by modern politicians, executives, and military leaders. The book had possibly influenced Napoleon, and even the planning of Operation Desert Storm. Leaders as diverse as Mao Zedong, General Pervez Musharraf, General Vo Nguyen Giap, and General Douglas MacArthur have claimed to have drawn inspiration from the work. The Art of War has been applied, with much success, to business and managerial strategies.

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