The Art of War

The masterpiece of the sage Sun Tzu is a military treatise written in China more than 2,500 years ago. He recognised that we live in a world of conflict, which could not be ignored or denied but had to be understood and mastered. Sun Tzu's profound wisdom is not limited to military applications - his aphorisms offer important advice on dealing with other realms of human conflict, such as the psychological tensions of everyday life and the difficulties of any joint endeavour, including business ventures. Arranged into 13 chapters, from Estimates to Employment of Secret Agents, and enhanced by beautiful calligraphy, The Art of War is more relevant now than ever. The book begins with a Foreword by B.H. Liddell Hart, a Preface by Samuel B. Griffith and a 74-page Introduction, covering such key topics as the author, the original text and the historical background, with a fascinating section on Sun Tzu and Mao Tse-Tung. Then follows the essence of the book in 13 chapters: Estimates, Waging War, Offensive Strategy, Dispositions, Energy, Weaknesses and Strengths, Manoeuvre, The Nine Variables, Marches, Terrain, The Nine Varieties of Ground, Attack by Fire, Employment of Secret Agents. There are two fascinating appendices and a detailed Bibliography. The Art of War is now required reading at military, business and law schools in the US and around the world. It is widely believed that no book in history better describes how to be a winner in any situation of conflict or any competitive environment, whether in the office or workplace, in a relationship, or in everyday disagreements and tensions. This deluxe edition turns a classic of practical, universal wisdom into an attractive gift or a book to relish for any home library.

'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

Sun Tzu is traditionally attributed as the author of this classic Chinese text, which is the earliest known treatise on war. Thought to have derived from experiences during China's age of the Warring States (425-221 BC), this great and enduring work contains many fascinating philosophical insights into the realm of human conflict. Samuel B. Griffith served during World War II with the US Marines in the Pacific. He obtained his Ph.D. in Chinese military history at New College, Oxford University. He is the translator of Mao Tse-Tung's On Guerrilla Warfare.

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