The Essential Art of WarRalph D. Sawyer is the preeminent scholar and translator on Sun-tzu's masterful work. More than 200,000 copies of his Sun-tzu Art of War and more than 55,000 copies of The Complete Art of War have been sold. The Art of War is the most famous study of strategy ever written and has had an extraordinary influence on the history of warfare. The Essential Art of War brings Sun-tzu's classic work to a new, uninitiated readership. This clear and compact volume presumes no prior knowledge of the subject and presents only the material that is essential to understanding this text. Using his best-selling Art of War translation as the centerpiece, Sawyer has re-approached every chapter to include an introduction and closing commentary that deliver the key concepts. An introduction to the volume on the relevance of Sun-tzu's teachings, a chronology, historical background on the translation itself, and a bibliographic essay are also included. The Essential Art of War is presented in an attractive 208-page hardcover volume with foiled jacket, stamped case, and ribbon marker, in a convenient gift size. |
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achieve advance advantage advantages of terrain army's Art of War Art of War's assaults battlefield centuries Ch'u chapter chariots China Chinese military Chinese military doctrine combat command commander's configuration of power Configuration of terrain conflict conquer constrained contemporary dagger-ax deception defeat defense deploy deployment Despite employing the army employing the military enemy enemy's engage in battle excel in warfare excels at employing exhausted exploited fatal terrain feudal lords fight five forces gain Heaven History of China hundred Incendiary Attack Initial intelligence King Ho-lü large number maneuver warfare martial measures ment numerous penetrate pinnacle of excellence pinyin plans practices protoscience ruler Seven Military Classics Shang Six Secret Teachings spies Spring and Autumn Spycraft strategic configuration strategic power strategy for employing strength strike Sun Pin Sun-tzu tactics Three Armies tion troops unorthodox and orthodox victory Wade-Giles Warring States period weapons Wu Tzu-hsü Yi Yin