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Title: The Art of War
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Manufacturer: Shambhala
List Price: $6.99
Our Price: $2.98
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| The Art of War by Shambhala Classic on the priciples of war | This ancient classic of 13 chapters was written over 2,500 years ago by the legendary Chinese general Sun Tzu. It is a must have for military buffs that enjoy reading about the tactics of the most succesful generals. It is rumored that Napoleon used a French translation of the Art of War to his advantage while conquering most of Europe, and he lost when he broke its principles.
The principles that are with in this ancient text can also be used in games of strategy, business conflicts, and the day to day battles of life.
Here are ten principles to give you a sample of the wisdom found in its pages:
Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance with out fighting.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
Spies are the most important element in war, because upon them depends an army's ability to move.
All warfare is based on deception.
The general who wins a battle makes many calculations before the battle is fought.
There is no instance of a country having benefited from a prolonged war.
The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals.
In war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.
When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. (So they can retreat).
Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained, fight not unless the position is critical.
Taken as a whole this is a book of wisdom and principles on how to win. I rank it in my top ten books I have ever read. It is a must have for any home library. The is a very small book that is quick and easy to read.
| | The Art of War by Shambhala "Simple" Is Not Necessarily Code For "Profound" | Going in, my expectations were high -- The Art of War is praised as an all-time classic; equally applicable today as when it was first written; a philosophical insight into all manners of conflict, including business and (some have claimed) even romance!
I did not find all of these things, here. Instead, I found a brief and simple outline of various battle tactics and tautologies, usually on the level of the field general. This is not to say that this is worthless, or that there is no way of taking the information and applying it -- via analogy -- to problems today. But I did not find it compellingly analogous to today's world, or no more so than any number of older works.
The Art of War is a short, fast read. It is worth reading for its historical significance, and for a few insights that are not strictly obvious, and some of it may be applicable (with some mental stretching) to your quest to be promoted to the next level of management, or romantic victory over a rival, or whatever it is in your life that approximates "war." If other people find profound, life-altering depth in its lists of the types of terrain, or observations that it's better to attack your foe when they're tired, rather than well-rested, etc., then more power to them. I feel it's possible, however, that some of this depth lies more in the creative extrapolations of the reader than in the work itself. | | The Art of War by Shambhala Not just Master Sun..... | | There are translations about other masters and theologists about what the words Master Sun was saying, not just Master Suns words alone. This is not just a guide to waging warfare, but to corperate life, everyday life, and every aspect fo day to day living. This is deep Taoist philosophy, so prepare to be enlightened! A true timeless classic. | | The Art of War by Shambhala Nice Art of War | | Nice book, famous, quoted a lot. Got it for a book club at work. Arrived fast. | | The Art of War by Shambhala Basics of warfare for 12 year olds | Sun Tzu's the art of war is one of the most overrated books in terms of content. It is not that the writer is wrong about most subjects (though a lot is hopelessly outdated). The problem is that any 12 year old who has played with toy soldiers enough, could have written this book, without the fancy words or synonyms.
Don't attack when outnumbered, with the sun in your face etc etc. The very basics of battles, not even of warfare. True warfare, now and then, relies more on logistics with the battles being just a small part of war.
So if you are completely ignorant of battles and war and simple logic you can read this book and be satisfied. However if you are truely interested in the "art of war" then read the book with that same name from Machiavelli. | | The Art of War by Shambhala Product Description | | Conflict is an inevitable part of life, according to this ancient Chinese classic of strategy, but everything necessary to deal with conflict wisely, honorably, victoriously, is already present within us. Compiled more than two thousand years ago by a mysterious warrior-philosopher, The Art of War is still perhaps the most prestigious and influential book of strategy in the world, as eagerly studied in Asia by modern politicians and executives as it has been by military leaders since ancient times. As a study of the anatomy of organizations in conflict, The Art of War applies to competition and conflict in general, on every level from the interpersonal to the international. Its aim is invincibility, victory without battle, and unassailable strength through understanding the physics, politics, and psychology of conflict. |
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