Product Description

Unabridged Audiobook. 2 CDs - 2 hours, 8 minutes. Narrated by Scott Brick & Shelly Frasier

"All warfare is based on deception. Thus, when able to attack, we must seem unable. Hold out bait to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is quick to anger, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant."

Written before Alexander the Great was born, this Chinese treatise on war has become one of the most influential works on the subject. Read widely in the east since its appearance 2500 years ago, The Art of War first came to the west with a French Jesuit in1782. It has been studied by generals from Napoleon to Rommel and it is still required reading in most military academies of the world.

Although it was meant to be a practical guide to warfare in the age of chariots, many corporate and government leaders have successfully applied its lessons to battles in the modern dog-eat-dog world. Sun Tzu covers all aspects of war in his time, from strategy and tactics to the proper use of terrain and spies. In this version, Sun Tzu's lessons are brought to life with commentaries from ancient Chinese history, which illustrate both the philosophy and the principles of his teachings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #627380 in Books
• Published on: 2002-12-15
• Formats: Audiobook, CD, Unabridged
• Original language: Mandarin Chinese
• Number of items: 2
• Binding: Audio CD

Amazon.com Review
The Art of War is the Swiss army knife of military theory--pop out a different tool for any situation. Folded into this small package are compact views on resourcefulness, momentum, cunning, the profit motive, flexibility, integrity, secrecy, speed, positioning, surprise, deception, manipulation, responsibility, and practicality. Thomas Cleary's translation keeps the package tight, with crisp language and short sections. Commentaries from the Chinese tradition trail Sun-tzu's words, elaborating and picking up on puzzling lines. Take the solitary passage: "Do not eat food for their soldiers." Elsewhere, Sun-tzu has told us to plunder the enemy's stores, but now we're not supposed to eat the food? The Tang dynasty commentator Du Mu solves the puzzle nicely, "If the enemy suddenly abandons their food supplies, they should be tested first before eating, lest they be poisoned." Most passages, however, are the pinnacle of succinct clarity: "Lure them in with the prospect of gain, take them by confusion" or "Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability is in the opponent." Sun-tzu's maxims are widely applicable beyond the military because they speak directly to the exigencies of survival. Your new tools will serve you well, but don't flaunt them. Remember Sun-tzu's advice: "Though effective, appear to be ineffective." --Brian Bruya

Review
"The most useful and important book ever written for aspiring leaders."
--Toronto Sun Times


From the Trade Paperback edition. -- Review

Review
"The Art of War is among the greatest classics of military literature ever written. Sun Tzu warfare is as applicable today as when the book was written some 2,500 years ago....Pick up The Art of War and read it."--General A.M. Gray, Marine Corps Gazette

"As a reflection of the Chinese mind, this little work is as relevant as any Confucian classic."--The Times (London)

"Westerners have dozens of books to choose from if they want to learn about Japanese philosophy and military tactics....But when the Japanese, especially those in business, want information on the subject, many turn to an ancient Chinese, not Japanese, military manual, The Art of War....Shows managers how to be fearless in resolving conflicts."--Boardroom Reports

"Shows managers how to be fearless in resolving conflicts."--Boardroom Reports

"A brief tract on strategy that has been admired in China for centuries. Some of Mao Tse Tung's most eloquent thoughts are merely rehashes of Sun Tzu and his interpreters."--The Los Angeles Herald Examiner

"Samuel Griffith's original and scholarly translation of The Art of War shows how good scholarship can make an easily readable translation that is much more useful to modern readers."--The Philadelphia Inquirer

"I find this book to be an excellent complement to a traditional text. It illustrates key strategic concepts from an alternative perspective. Specifically, it effectively addresses: planning in a dynamic environment, importance of leadership and harmonious relations with subordinates, efficient use of resources, importance of internal and external assessments and decision making - ethics, reception, timliness, decision quality, etc."--Jeff Trailer, University of Houston

Customer Reviews

A timeless classic that has practical application
I got this particular edition of Sun Tzu's Art of War at a strategy course for sales. I already had a copy of it at home, but this edition is so nicely done that I gave my old copy away and kept this one. The introduction of James Clavell is a nice touch.

It is amazing to me that this book is not read in high schools or colleges in favor of Machiavelli's work (The Prince or The Art of War.) Sun Tzu's writing is clear and to the point. Unlike the popular Book of Five Rings by Musashi, this book is not metaphorical and poetic; it's downright practical. And it's not hard to read, unlike many classics.

If you are doing business in China, this is also a good book to know. I mentioned some of the classic strategies while giving a course in China, and every member of the class had read it, knew it well, and gave me many examples from recent Chinese history where Sun Tzu's strategies were employed. This book is close to their hearts, and will give you insight if you are doing business in the East.

Of course, the most famous anecdote from this book is about gaining the obedience of troops; the emperor, wishing to interview Sun Tzu for the commission of general, asked if Sun Tzu's military principles could be applied to women. Sun Tzu replied yes, the principles worked for women as well as men. Accordingly, Sun Tzu was given the task of organizing the emperor's many concubines into an army. Sun Tzu lined up the concubines and set the two favorites as officers at the head of the columns.

He gave them a simple set of orders to march and drill (eyes front, right face, about face. The drums sounded and instead of following the commands, the girls simply giggled and blushed.

He repeated the orders again, saying that if the orders were not clear, it is first the fault of the general. He repeated the commands, and the girls simply stood and giggled again.

"If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers." Upon saying this, he ordered the two concubines at the head of the troop, favorites of the emperor, to be beheaded.

The emperor hurriedly sent down the command to stop, he had no desire to see his favorites executed. The emperor said "We are satisfied that the general knows how to command."

But Sun Tzu said, "Once having received the commission, there are certain commands I am unable to accept." And he ordered the two favorites to be beheaded. Once again, he gave the commands. The concubines marched, whirled about and drilled in perfect order. The emperor appointed Sun Tzu general.

A timeless piece of history written for the future.
I cannot remember who introduced me to "The Art of War", but I know I could not hold onto the book for very long. Each friend I thought would benefit from the ancient words of Sun Tzu received a copy from me. I went through seven copies before buying the hard cover for my collection.

I found James Clavell's version quite difficult to find, but well worth it - due to clarity of reading and balance.

I tried reading Cleary's version, but could not get through the first chapter. However, I did purchase "Mastering the Art of War" by Cleary; finding it a better tour guide.

Clavell's "Art of War" offers tactical insight on overcoming an opponent whether it be war, work, relationships, or your own personal demons.

Sun Tzu created a timeless piece of history written for the future. I personally feel that today's society needs to look back, master the art of war, in order to repair the future.

Today I'm buying book #9 for a person who inspired me... I wanted to return the favor.

AP World History Review
I read the book entitled, The Art of War by Sun Tzu. I feel that Sun Tzu�s purpose of writing this book is that of teaching war strategies. His emphasis was on not killing people, rather that of emerging victorious in the least amount of time. He was much more interested in confusion rather than massacre. Sun Tzu stresses that �the war� needs to be quickly won, he has been quoted to say, �There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited.� I believe that even today, these strategies that Sun Tzu came up with, prove to be effective. Deception, not necessarily deceit, is one of the principal concepts in this novel. Sun Tzu had first hand experience in The Art of War; therefore his essays are provoking and believable. Sun Tzu�s theories on war can be applied to a great many things, such as business and sports. Sun Tzu accomplished his goal, that being to teach people his theories on war. He was, during his time, a very unique man, and during our time, he still is a very unique man. The original novel was written by Sun Tzu in about 400 B.C. There has been much deliberation about when Sun Tzu existed, or even if he existed. It is only an approximation to say he was around in 400 B.C. Due to the words he uses and his descriptions of the time period, scholars have reach an approximate time in which he lived. The translator of Sun Tzu�s essays makes this information readily available and understandable. It has then been translated many times. I read the version translated by, Samuel B. Griffith. Samuel B. Griffith did an obscene amount of research on this project. He includes an extensive bibliography as well as a recognition page. Some of his sources include; The Taiheiki. A Chronicle of Medieval Japan by Helen Craig, The Analects of Confucius by Arthur Waley, and The Development of Iron and Steel Technology in China by J. Needham. He also included an introduction to make the fourth century B.C. more understandable. Griffith explained to the unknowing person why Sun Tzu�s essays were written. That was extremely helpful due to the fact I had little knowledge of that time period. There were also numerous other things that helped to make the novel clearer such as; maps to show monopolies, paintings of Sun Tzu himself, and various Chinese symbols. One such painting was entitled Sun Tzu Drilling the Concubines of King Ho-Lu. This picture shows Sun Tzu trying to confuse his enemies through training women. I believe that this man was enthralled with this translation. You can feel that from his writing. His writing, though overwhelming at first, is easily understandable and rather entertaining. He provides many different views on the some subject. I really enjoyed reading this book. All of Griffith�s enthusiasm poured into his writing made it a quick, entertaining read. I must admit, during the first part of the book, I was rather bored. There was so much history that was going on while reading, I saw no point to the book being written. As I got farther into The Art of War I began to see things in a different light. The words began to mean something to me. I was able to relate some of the phrases into my own life. That changed everything for me. In my mind, and hopefully in everyone else�s mind that has read this book, this was indeed a book that needed to be written. I think that it should be required reading to all those studying business. It may seem weird that a book written about war pertains to business; however, many strategies taken metaphorically can help a great many people. People in the navy, military, or the army should read this book as well. I think it is rather obvious why they should read it though. If you do not fit into any of these categories, you should still read the essays. If not for anything else it can teach you quite a bit about early Chinese culture. I think any person can take away something from this book. Whether it is to not be so blunt, not let others control you, or something simpler like having a plan and accomplishing it in the shortest amount of time. I advise everyone to at least attempt to read these essays by Sun Tzu. You will not regret it.