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Summary: My thoughts on the Art of War
Review: The Art Of War has been really interesting, because it makes you think and try to understand the book because of the terms the author uses in it. I felt that the book has a little too much of fighting tactics, it should have been added with action and drama, rather then having the energy of a textbook.
This book is amazing because of how long the records lasted of it being written at about 400 ad, and ascribed onto bamboo. Then lasting to the paper era and being abridged onto that.
I feel that this book would help a General in an army, or someone that would like to learn on ancient chinese tactics, and how it work's on the enemy.
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Summary: this is an overall, alright book
Review: I had to read this book for a class. If I would have picked up this book to read on my own, I probably would have stopped about 2 pages into it. The introduction lasts for half of the book and it is hard to understand in some places. However the strategies this book teaches you are very good and can be very usefull. I wouldnt recommend this book to someone looking for a book to read for pleasure, I think that this book would be most efficient if it was to be taught in a class, than read personally.Overall I liked the book, and if your looking to get ahead in life, i suggest you read it too.
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Summary: Art of War
Review: This book would be good to read if you are looking to learn something. If you are just pleasure reading, this would be a book to stay away from. "The Art of War", is basicly a text on how to fight a war in ancient Chinese times. Many of it's teachings can be applyed to our world today. It can give you an edge in sports, business, and actial war.
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Summary: Informative
Review: The Art of War is a factual book on strategies for war, written in the times of ancient China. Being like a history book, there is no core story that connects the chapters together. After the introduction that is about 1/3 of the book, it goes into the "tips" for war. It has one or two lines for a tip, then tells a story of how the tip was used. After a while, it can get very dull and repetitive, so I give it 2 stars. I would recommend this book to people in the military, but to anyone else it wouldn't be very useful or interesting.
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Summary: Comments on Samuel B. Griffith(intro) version
Review: I won't talk about how good Sun Tzu is, as you probably already know. Instead, I'll share my opinion on how good this translation is.
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1. Is the translation consistent with the Original?
I have not read the entire book in details to assess all the chapters. However, as the first sample page clearly shown, "Therefore appraise it in terms of the five fundamental factors and make comparisons of the seven elements later named.", the translator has indeed taken some liberty in translating Sun Tzu Art of War. "xiao zhi yi ji" indeed refers to the seven estimate (ji) later, but nowhere in the original text was "seven" mentioned. This sounds picky, but from this example you can tell that the tranlation focus more on the meaning rather than maintaining direct translation. 2. Elegance of the translation?
Sun Tzu is actually a great Chinese literary work, it uses antithesis, rhythm, and other techiques to convey meanings. As indicated above, this translation focus more on meaning, you do not get a feeling of what the original text is like. Of course this is not a major problem for most people, as they read Sun Tzu for the content only. In sum, it's readable but rather plain. 3. Format of the book?
This version contains some commentary of Chinese scholars, the format goes something like this: several Sun Tzu's sentences-> commentary-> footnotes-> repeat. That might be helpful to some people, as the scholars expand and help explaining on Sun Tzu's text. However it's kind of annoying if you just want to read Sun Tzu without the bothersome additional interpretion. I suggest you to see Amazon.com's sample page to determine whether you like the format or not. -------- Overall, the translation seems to be ok. I do not agree on all of the interpretation from this book, but there are no major mistakes.
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Summary: Broadening Your Perspective
Review: War is not really based on honor... or glory, or even whose right. It's all about conditions, who has the advantage and how to dishearten your opponents while making sure your own resources are protected. It tells you what to look for through hundreds of various quotes and snippets of advice. This book was not entirely by Sun Tzu, but a collection of famous tacticians through-out history. Each seem to add another element to the concept of how to win in conflict. In life, you can see a little of this in each day... but just remember not too get too carried away. After all, even Sun Tzu himself said 'A battle not fought, is a battle won.' For broadening your perspective, I'd suggest adding this book to your collection as well as 'Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Book of Eastern Wisdom' by Taro Gold.
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Summary: First Read The Art, Then Add The Philosophy
Review: This book is a classic. When you read it, you will know why. It's everything you ever wanted to know about the art of war and leadership. For the philosophy behind all of this good stuff, I ended up reading "West Point" by Norman Thomas Remick, because it was the easiest to understand.
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Summary: Ancient wisdom well translated.
Review: I am at a loss as how to review this book. Having a background (i.e. a BA) in history, I was reading it as an historical text, and not a guide as to how to run a business. However, since a hammer can crack a coconut as well as drive nails, I think I will progress. Secondly, and separately, there is an old adage that says, "Plato is easier to understand than the Platonists," which illustrates the idea that these old texts, unlike the commentators on the texts, are not mysterious or esoteric, but quite easy to understand. I think out the outset, an understanding of "TAO," and its supplementary doctrine of "mandate of heaven" need to be clarified. "Tao," in a word means the "Way," or the proper course of things. It is roughly equivalent to the Greek "Zoe," which means the correct and proper lifestyle. The idea is living one's life in accordance to the morality of the universe. In the Anglo-Saxon tradition we call this "Natural Law." The idea of "Tao," and all of these, is to bring one in accordance, or "at one," with the moral force of the universe. That "at-one-ment" with the universal morality is the key to a leader's power, whereby he would have "the mandate of heaven." This is the Asian equivalent of "the divine right of kings." The idea was in doing the proper thing in the proper to achieve success. Sun-tzu's philosophy is supple. As a contrast, Sun-tzu is the exact opposite of General William Tecumseh Sherman. Sun-tzu embodies that Asian patience and restraint that we all admire, while Sherman was more or less a Rambo on speed. It is, odd, therefore that so many business men would find the good Chinese general's philosophy so appealing, since it runs counter to current cooperate culture-back stabbing, "more, more-faster, faster!," and human sacrifices to the Almighty Dollar. If this book can restrain some of the out of control Enron greed, then it is worth the trouble of reading. If anything, this book is novel in that it provides a "softer" approach to war, or anything else. Sun-tzu advocates strategy, disinformation as a tool, and the rather novel idea that you use an army as a last resort. But if the army is to be use, fight the battle quickly, severely, and with full force. This is a lesson I hope the Department of Defense is heeding, since in our current war on terrorism, the world is in the balance. This translation is readable, and it includes the ancient commentaries on Sun-tzu's work, since I think it is crucial that we understand the work as the ancients understood things. C. S. Lewis in his book "God in the Dock," has an essay entitled "On Reading Old Books," where he points out that each age has its own assumptions and presuppositions about things, and that it is in the area of these assumptions that the real intellectual work takes place. The introductory chapters are priceless, and put the book in its historical context-past, present, and future. The section on Mao's and the Soviet's use of this book was quite interesting. This edition also has Wu chi's "Art of War," which is more of a Taoist approach to war, and includes religious practices, such as divining. It provides an excellent counterpoint to Sun-tzu's work. I would recommend reading this book with Lao-tze's "Tao Te Ching," Confucius's "Analects," and Machiavelli's "The Prince." The first two books help round out Asian culture, religion, and philosophy that are indispensable for getting the subtleties and details of "The Art of War." "The Prince" is included, because fighting a war and maintaining a state are two totally different projects. Take Alexander the Great as the greatest example: he conquered the land from Macedonia to India, but after his death, his empire split into three kingdoms. Machiavelli illustrates some techniques for maintaining a state. Actually, for a really interesting book on success, and how to be successful AND moral, I would recommend the humble "Book of Proverbs" conveniently found in you Bible. Proverbs is ancient wisdom, like "Art of War," or Tao Te Ching," but we frequently for get it, since familiarity breeds contempt! In the final analysis, a book is only good insofar as it opens up your mind and causes you to reevaluate things, which this book does.
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Summary: Not for Martial Artists
Review: The one star that I gave this book is because I was reading it from a Martial Art's perspective instead of a Business perspective. The main thing that bothered me about the text was that the Aurthor explained himself every few lines. When he would translate some text, he would follow that up with a few lines further explaining what he had just written. So the book didn't have much flow to it. I personally think that the author should have just translated the text to the best of his ability and left it to the reader to figure out the true meaning and application of the Sun Tzu's thoughts. It took a little bit to realize that this book is more geared towards Businessmen. And looking at the other reviews, I guess it's really good for people looking to succeed in Business. But if your intent for Martial Arts purproses, I recommend finding a different translation.
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Summary: Beyond War: Sun Tzu Explains Strategy & Politics
Review: Although Karl von Clausewitz stated that war is an extension of politics, Sun Tzu imparted that wisdom hundreds of years before. As a result, his book embellishes on politics and human behavior as much as strategy and warfare. Students and enthusiasts of political science, strategy, the humanities or military affairs will appreciate the wisdom embodied in Samuel Griffin's elaboration of Sun Tzu's timeless work. As Sun Tzu impresses throughout the book, "the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting." Politicians and pundits would do well to heed the acumen found within the pages of The Art of War. In the foreword B. H. Liddell Hart, the famous British military strategist, highlights Sun Tzu's warning that "there has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited." Hart also describes the prose as embodying realism and moderation beyond that of Clausewitz, with a constant emphasis on doing the unexpected and pursuing the indirect approach. Sun Tzu's wisdom presents an opportunity for enlightenment to any that peruse the book. Students of politics, strategy or human behavior will find a wealth of knowledge within its pages. It proves especially beneficial and timely for those policy makers and military analysts currently engaged in the war on terrorism. The terrorists and their accomplices surely will continue trying to use the indirect approach. Our leaders would do well to understand and apply the same principles. I highly recommend this book for everyone with an interest in politics or military affairs.
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