The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Title: The Art of War
Author: Sun Tzu
Genre: Nonfiction Classics
Published: 500 BCE
Pages: 273
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Synopsis

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.

(Original publication date was circa 500 BCE.)

Review

So I bought this book thinking that it was going to be a picture book, with like, lots of photos of old wars and stuff. I was totally expecting to see bloody battlefields after skirmishes between the Chinese and the Mongolians and stuff (obviously this Sun Tzu guy wouldn't have been drawing pictures of battles in Europe because that would be a super far distance to travel that long ago.) But there were almost no pictures at all. It's actually a book about how to wage war. Which is the silver lining. 

You see, now that I've read this book, I am far better prepared to defeat my arch nemesis, Joood - Hooligan. I am now in a position to not only get inside her head to psych her out mentally, but also to destroy her relationships with others so that she will become a pariah. And it all boils down to knowing her weaknesses (which I now know exactly how to discover with minimal effort). By the time I am done with her, you'll be like "Joood who?" 

So if you're looking for a picture book, I do not recommend this. But if you want to destroy your enemies, by all means, read this book. 

Buy the Book

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About the Author

Sun Tzu is thought to have been a military general and adviser to the king of the southern Chinese state of Wu during the sixth century BCE. Although some modern scholars have called his authorship into doubt, the world's most influential and enduring treatise on military strategy, The Art of War, bears his name.

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