- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Duncan Baird Publishers; New Ill edition (18 Aug 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1844831795
- ISBN-13: 978-1844831791
- Product Dimensions: 24 x 15.6 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 105,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Synopsis
The masterpiece of the sage Sun Tzu is a military treatise written in China more than 2500 years ago. He recognized that we live in a world of conflict, which could not be ignored or denied but had to be mastered and understood. Sun Tzu's profound wisdom is not limited to military applications - his aphorisms offer important advice for dealing with other realms of human conflict, such as the pyschological tensions of everyday life and the difficulties of any joint endeavour, including business ventures. Arranged into 13 chapters from Estimates to the Employment of Secret Agents, and enhanced by beautiful calligraphy, The Art of War is more relevant now than ever.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
I had been meaning to read Sun Tzu's Art of War for some time, seeing loose quotes from it appear in various places (mostly the Total War games).
When I started looking around to get the book, i was confronted with litteraly dozens of versions of the text reaching from plain text translations to "self-help motivational" versions that have barely anything to do with the original text.
Based on reader's feedback here and across the internet I learned that this version of the text was exactly what i was looking for: a good translation of the original text (better than Giles' translation I'm told), but also a historical background of the work, comments from Chinese commentators and generals and footnotes by the translator himself. A lot more information that helps you better understand the whole thing, much more than a simple print out of the text would.
Besides the textual content, this is also a beautiful hardcover book with great illustrations of Chinese art or objects throughout.
All in all this seemed like a much more complete book than the ones that are on top in the Amazon charts.
If you are looking for a version of Sun Tzu's famous book, "The Art of War: The New Illustrated Edition of the Classic Text" is definitely recommended. It costs a bit more than the paperbacks topping the military science charts on this site, but it is worth it.
When I started looking around to get the book, i was confronted with litteraly dozens of versions of the text reaching from plain text translations to "self-help motivational" versions that have barely anything to do with the original text.
Based on reader's feedback here and across the internet I learned that this version of the text was exactly what i was looking for: a good translation of the original text (better than Giles' translation I'm told), but also a historical background of the work, comments from Chinese commentators and generals and footnotes by the translator himself. A lot more information that helps you better understand the whole thing, much more than a simple print out of the text would.
Besides the textual content, this is also a beautiful hardcover book with great illustrations of Chinese art or objects throughout.
All in all this seemed like a much more complete book than the ones that are on top in the Amazon charts.
If you are looking for a version of Sun Tzu's famous book, "The Art of War: The New Illustrated Edition of the Classic Text" is definitely recommended. It costs a bit more than the paperbacks topping the military science charts on this site, but it is worth it.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Review of: The Art of War: The New Illustrated Edition of the Classic Text. Translated by Samuel B. Griffith
This is a beautiful, extremely well written edition of a classic work. The hardback cover feels solid in hand and the pages are equally tough. The book itself contains a huge number of notes, annotations and clarifications from a variety of sources [located on the page in question so you don't have to constantly flick back and forth]. The illustrations are provoking and appropriate for the chapter.
If you are looking for an edition which has high quality textual content and exceptional presentation, then purchase this one.
This is a beautiful, extremely well written edition of a classic work. The hardback cover feels solid in hand and the pages are equally tough. The book itself contains a huge number of notes, annotations and clarifications from a variety of sources [located on the page in question so you don't have to constantly flick back and forth]. The illustrations are provoking and appropriate for the chapter.
If you are looking for an edition which has high quality textual content and exceptional presentation, then purchase this one.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
Ah, the wisdom of the ancients! Latter-day politicians: please read this book, and learn.
Sun Tzu's eternally relevant Chinese classic `The Art of War' has never been subject to modern-day copyright. Due to the popularity of the text demand is always strong, and the would-be buyer is confronted with literally dozens of different editions culled from various translations of the original Chinese script, with or without the voluminous commentaries.
Sam Griffiths' stylish new illustrated edition of `The Art of War' is a bit special. The book itself is a fine artefact in its own right with a stiff hardcover bound in red silk, 270 thick and high-quality pages with clear text and most with colour plates of classical Chinese illustrations. It's a rewarding experience just to hold, and to turn these beautiful pages.
The translation, together with the textual commentaries, is a substantially revised version of Griffiths' 1960 PhD thesis submitted to Oxford University, so the academic standard is rigorous.
As a run-in to the actual text material the reader is treated to 89 pages of commentaries on Sun Tzu's life and character; history of the text; contextual descriptions of the contemporary warring states in Sun Tzu's time, and the use made by Mao Tse-Tung of the classical text in his successful military campaigns in China and the 1930s and 40s.
The text and commentaries are then beautifully laid out chapter by chapter and very easy to follow. An integral page-marker is thoughtfully provided by the publisher. There is a good index and brief biographies of most of the classical Chinese commentators quoted in the book.
The only caution about this edition might be that its weighty, quality feel is more a `home library' book. It's not really an appropriate edition to read on the move, whilst travelling for example. There are plenty of lightweight paperback editions - or Kindle, of course - more portable and suitable to such an environment, if that's how you do much of your reading. Otherwise, this edition can be unconditionally recommended: it's a very fine book indeed, and something of a bargain at the current price.
Sun Tzu's eternally relevant Chinese classic `The Art of War' has never been subject to modern-day copyright. Due to the popularity of the text demand is always strong, and the would-be buyer is confronted with literally dozens of different editions culled from various translations of the original Chinese script, with or without the voluminous commentaries.
Sam Griffiths' stylish new illustrated edition of `The Art of War' is a bit special. The book itself is a fine artefact in its own right with a stiff hardcover bound in red silk, 270 thick and high-quality pages with clear text and most with colour plates of classical Chinese illustrations. It's a rewarding experience just to hold, and to turn these beautiful pages.
The translation, together with the textual commentaries, is a substantially revised version of Griffiths' 1960 PhD thesis submitted to Oxford University, so the academic standard is rigorous.
As a run-in to the actual text material the reader is treated to 89 pages of commentaries on Sun Tzu's life and character; history of the text; contextual descriptions of the contemporary warring states in Sun Tzu's time, and the use made by Mao Tse-Tung of the classical text in his successful military campaigns in China and the 1930s and 40s.
The text and commentaries are then beautifully laid out chapter by chapter and very easy to follow. An integral page-marker is thoughtfully provided by the publisher. There is a good index and brief biographies of most of the classical Chinese commentators quoted in the book.
The only caution about this edition might be that its weighty, quality feel is more a `home library' book. It's not really an appropriate edition to read on the move, whilst travelling for example. There are plenty of lightweight paperback editions - or Kindle, of course - more portable and suitable to such an environment, if that's how you do much of your reading. Otherwise, this edition can be unconditionally recommended: it's a very fine book indeed, and something of a bargain at the current price.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good reference, but strange English transliteration!
Although I haven't read the whole book, I found the English transliteration a bit strange. For example, the word 'Gold', in Mandarin, should be written as 'jin' but Griffith wrote... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mrs. Z. Taylor
Good for non-Chinese beginning learners
I bought this illustrated edition of The Art of War for a young friend--a British teenager. I chose this edition to introduce Sun Tzu's ideology because I expect the graphics and... Read more
Published on 31 Oct 2009 by Tan Wee Hoe
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