The Art of War
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- $0.99
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- $0.99
Publisher Description
The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period (roughly 5th century BC). The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu ("Master Sun", also spelled Sunzi), is composed of 13 chapters. Each one is devoted to an aspect of warfare and how it applies to military strategy and tactics. For almost 1,500 years it was the lead text in an anthology that would be formalised as the Seven Military Classics by Emperor Shenzong of Song in 1080. The Art of War remains the most influential strategy text in East Asian warfare and has influenced both Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy, lifestyles and beyond.
The book contained a detailed explanation and analysis of the Chinese military, from weapons and strategy to rank and discipline. Sun also stressed the importance of intelligence operatives and espionage to the war effort. Because Sun has long been considered to be one of history's finest military tacticians and analysts, his teachings and strategies formed the basis of advanced military training for centuries to come.
The book was translated into French and published in 1772 (re-published in 1782) by the French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot. A partial translation into English was attempted by British officer Everard Ferguson Calthrop in 1905 under the title The Book of War. The first annotated English translation was completed and published by Lionel Giles in 1910. Military and political leaders such as the Chinese communist revolutionary Mao Zedong, Japanese daimyō Takeda Shingen, Vietnamese general Võ Nguyên Giáp, and American military general Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. have drawn inspiration from the book.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The workplace is a battlefield, according to author, speaker and businesswoman Chu. In her latest, she distills The Art of War, Taoist philosopher-general Sun Tzu's international bestseller on the fundamental elements of warfare and business strategy, into a primer and call-to-arms for working women. In vivid battlefield terminology, Chu covers everything from promotions and work attire to dealing with sexual harassment and male chauvinist co-workers. Lessons tend toward a "universal nuggets of wisdom" format; one of the keys Chu advances is "Know Thyself," because "how well you know the world around you is directly proportional to how well you know yourself." Other chapters cover the disposition of winning, conflict strategy, the utility of imagination, techniques for management and "fireproofing yourself." At a time when the ideal of a full, fulfilling work and home life seems more difficult than ever to achieve, Chu's primer on becoming "an effective strategist and warrior" will give doubters cause for reconsideration.