Sun Tzu: The art of war (2001, Shambhala, Distributed in the U.S. by Random House)
250 pages
English language
Published Feb. 21, 2001 by Shambhala, Distributed in the U.S. by Random House.
The Art of War (Chinese: 孫子兵法; lit. 'Sun Tzu's Military Method') is traditionally ascribed to Sun Tzu. It presents a philosophy of war for managing conflicts and winning battles. It is accepted as a masterpiece on strategy and has been frequently cited and referred to by generals and theorists since it was first published, translated, and distributed internationally.
One that I wanted to come back to, years after having first read it. I enjoyed getting to understand the type of general-at-war mindset this book speaks of. It’s a classic for a reason.
The Art of War is so ingrained into popular culture, both directly and applied as a derivative to non-war topics like business, that by the time I actually read this cover to cover, I knew most of the content. I know that the book was not intended to be broken down into simple, abstract philosophies on conflict, but that's how most people read it. I gained no new insights, but recognize it's influence. 3 stars.
