Review: great edition of a great book
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 24, 2012
This edition is in the public domain, so it is available as an e-book for free from several websites. It is the translation from the Chinese with introduction and critical notes by Lionel Giles, at the time Assistant in the Department of Oriental Printed Books and MSS in the British Museum. The printed edition has 117 pages, the Kindle edition has 2259 locations.This translation is probably the best one available -even though it is not the most recent translation- this edition has the added value of the introduction and notes by Lionel Giles. This standard work about the strategy of warfare was written by the Chinese general Sun Tzu (aka Sunzi and Sun Wu) in around 500 BC. It is believed to be the oldest military treatise in the world. The principles taught in this book can also be used in other situations than warfare; this book gives tips on how to outsmart others. This book is an interesting read and will certainly give you a few tips on how to be a better strategist. If you are interested in 'Art of War' by Sun Tzu than I would recommend trying to get this version of it. At the bottom of this review I will copy a few sentences from the first chapter of this book as a sample. I do recommend this book to everybody, and not just to people who are interested in military strategy.Contents:Preface to the Project Gutenberg EtextIntroduction by Lionel GilesI  -Laying plansII  -Waging warIII -Attack by stratagemIV  -Tactical dispositionsV  -EnergyVI  -Weak points and strong pointsVII -ManeuveringVIII-Variations in tacticsIX  -The army on the marchX  -TerrainXI  -The nine situationsXII -The attack by fireXIII-The use of spiesAs a sample I copy two bits from Chapter I 'Laying plans' (location 522 and location 562) below:1.  Sun Tzu said:  The art of war is of vital importance tothe State.2.  It is a matter of life and death, a road either tosafety or to ruin.  Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can onno account be neglected.[...]18.  All warfare is based on deception.19.  Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable;  whenusing our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near,  wemust make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away,  wemust make him believe we are near.20.  Hold out baits to entice the enemy.  Feign disorder,and crush him.