Art of War

By Sun Tzu

Book Overview

The Art of War, the world's oldest treatise on warfare, has been studied by leaders for centuries.

Experience one of the most influential works ever written--The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Dating back to the 5th century BCE, this timeless treatise on strategy and warfare has shaped military thinking for millennia and inspired leaders in business, politics, and sports. Composed of thirteen concise chapters, Sun Tzu's teachings cover every aspect of conflict--from planning and positioning to intelligence and adaptability. First embraced in Eastern civilizations and later introduced to the West in the 18th century, its principles remain as relevant today as they were 2,500 years ago.

This handsome edition features a heat-burnished cover and gilded edges--making it a stunning addition to any library or a thoughtful gift for strategists and thinkers alike.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1667209604
• ISBN13: 9781667209609
• Release Date: January 2025
• Publisher: Canterbury Classics
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 1.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.9" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

A few grains of truth in a lot of chaff.

Today, many of Sun Tzu's quotes are floating around mixed with Shakespeare and the Bible. And as with many of the quotes, they are out of context and misleading. The quoter usually thinks that repeating the word is some sort of magic. This volume at least tries to show the facts of Sun Tzu and not go overboard on popular cultural deviations as to how to apply them to other disciplines. There is an excellent index if you are looking for something specific. 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; otherwise, 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 Now, just as you decide that the book is outdated for any practical purposes today, we have artillery and now stealth and precision, the reminder that "no two wars are alike" and "it is the flexibility that makes a difference" is still 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 of specialized units and crack troops. I have spent several years in the military and business and can say this book is a nice addition to history, otherwise of very little value to today's world for war or business or anything else that might come up.