The Art of War : An Illustrated Edition

Rating:
Summary: Art of War
Review: If you're going to pick up a copy of the "Art of War," this particular edition is the most attractive one to have sitting in a collection. You don't have to be an ancient Chinese general to learn from Sun Tzu's 2,000 year old masterpiece. Much of this material can still be applicable in day to day life if you look past the military language. Especially recommended for people trying to get ahead in tough fields like business or politics or even just for those who happen to like philosophy. Also check out the animated Art of War by Tsai Chi Chung if you're looking for a lighter hearted presentation of this and other Chinese classics.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: If you're in competition of any sort, you'd do well to read this classic work of Eastern Philosophy. While it primarily applies to warfare, with a little thought, you can understand how the information within can be applied to anything -- from business to sports.

The book is well laid-out, with an informative introduction to the work. Throughout, we get the primary points of Sun Tzu's work, which are further expounded upon by other Chinese philsophers that followed him. In most cases, this allows you to understand exactly what Sun Tzu what saying, there are instances where the quotes/explanations from the other philosophers directly contradict what Sun Tzu said, which makes things a little uncertain.

This does not mean you should discount this book -- it is actually an extremely good piece, both for the Eastern Philosophy or Military Sciences enthusiast, but for the beginner as well.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Edition
Review: The Art of War is well known. Dating from well over 2,000 years ago, it is a compilation of short sayings relating to military strategy. These sayings have seemingly been found applicable by generations of military and business leaders.

The author holds a Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University. This new translation is written close to modern language so that it makes more sense to the modern American reader. It further establishes the point of view of the spiritual traditions of Taoism, the origin of psychology, science, and technology in East Asia that are the source of the insights into human nature that underlie this classic.

The illustrations in this edition include some of the finest works of art from China, Japan, and Korea, selected from museums, galleries, and private collections in countries throughout the world.