Sun Tzu

The Art of War -- Spirituality for Conflict: Annotated & Explained
$16.99

At the outset, I need to acknowledge that I am not fluent in even one Asian language and thus am wholly unqualified to express an opinion about the several translations of The Art of War. I have copies of Sun Tzu's classic work translated by Thomas Cleary and Samuel B. Griffith (among others), and have read commentaries on The Art of War by B. H. Liddell Hart, Mark McNeilly, and Gerald A. Michaelson who relied on these translations.

Initially I did not understand the reference to "spirituality" in this book's subtitle but as I read Thomas Huynh's Introduction, I realized that during my previous readings of The Art of War, I had misunderstood one of Sun Tzu's most important points: It is for reasons of compassion as well as practicality that every possible effort must be made to avoid combat. According to Huynh, "Sun Tzu's goal in writing The Art of War was not to glamorize warfare but to instruct military leaders in the best way to end an armed conflict as rapidly as possible or - even better - to prevent the outbreak of war in the first place. When Sun Tzu spoke of victory, this is what he meant - the prevention or quick resolution of conflict, not the conquering of your opponent." There is a scene near the conclusion of the film Fort Apache when Cochise tries and fails to negotiate an agreement with a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. Soon afterward, the officer and most of his men die in combat. As the dust clears, Cochise reappears carrying the regiment's flag and angrily slams its stanchion into the ground with obvious disgust. Yes, the Apaches are the victors this day but their leader feels nothing but sadness and frustration as well as rage because the loss of life could have been avoided.

What sets this edition apart from others of which I am aware is the insightful Foreword by Marc Benioff and Preface by Thomas Cleary in combination with a well-crafted translation by Huynh and the editors of Sonshi.com. They are supplemented by Huynh's annotations juxtaposed with the key passages on which he comments. Readers will also appreciate the provision of brief explanations of core concepts that are inserted throughout the narrative. The title of my review suggests that Huynh and his Sonshi associates have -- with extensive scholarship, rigorous analysis, and lively eloquence -- created a three-dimensional context or frame-of-reference for Sun Tzu's observations and insights. To the extent that it is possible to do so with a literary work, they have brought it to life. That is indeed a brilliant achievement.

For example, consider this introductory comment to Doing Battle: "According to Sun Tzu, a skillful military general [or any military leader] only does battle when there is no other option. Many disagreements can be solved without the situation escalating into actual confrontation or battle, which often exacts a heavy toll on both sides." Huynh's 13 exceptionally informative annotations accompany the narrative in which Sun Tzu explains how best to pursue and achieve the eminently worthy objective of avoiding direct combat.

With regard to "Formation," [it] means more than simply the physical position you take to face your adversary; to Sun Tzu, it is the position of invincibility your enemy cannot surmount. This state of invincibility reduces the number of conflicts you will have to face, because adversaries will quickly see the futility of trying to challenge you." Huynh's 10 exceptionally informative annotations accompany the narrative in which Sun Tzu explains how best to pursue and achieve another eminently worthy objective, avoiding direct combat by convincing an opponent that there is no way he opponent can prevail. On the contrary, the opponent will be annihilated.

I am so impressed by the results of their collaboration that I not only recommend this edition to everyone who has not as yet read The Art of War but also to those who now have other editions because, in this non-scholar's opinion, it would be difficult to gain an understanding and appreciation of the material that would otherwise not be possible without the assistance of Thomas Huynh, Marc Benioff, Thomas Cleary, and their associates.

The Art Of War
$3.99
Excellent! Timeless advice from a tactical master, is easily translated into the realm of corporate strategy. A must have for everyone who wants to climb the corporate ladder!

Sun Tzu and the Art of Business: Six Strategic Principles for Managers
$19.95
McNeilly's book is a terrific introduction on how to apply the principles taught by this classic book on strategy.

As a marketing representative for my company, I use these principles everyday, in order to win business, and frustrate my competitors.

I always recommend McNeilly's books as a starting point to anyone wanting to learn about strategy.

The Art of War
$9.95
it is good that i was able to read a part of the book befor i bought it.