The Art of War: Translation, Essays, and Commentary by the Denma Translation Group

Description Conflict is an inevitable part of life, according to this ancient Chinese classic of strategy, but everything necessary to respond to conflict wisely, thoroughly, and victoriously is right before us at all times. The key to skillful action in any situation is in knowing those things that make up the environment and then seeing the patterns they form so that their power becomes available to us. It is not necessary to change the nature of things to find victory. Since, as Sun Tzu teaches, aggression and response in kind can lead only to destruction, we must learn to work with conflict in a more profound and effective way. The Art of War shows us how. The Art of War gives us proven strategic skills to apply when we need to take action and overcome obstacles in rapidly changing, chaotic situations. Though ancient in origin, these strategies are accessible because they are based on the ways we already do things. As Sun Tzu shows, rather than getting mired in conflict, we can create momentum and bring about the tipping point to achieve success. Review A Washington Post best-seller "Absorb this book, and you can throw out all those contemporary books about management leadership."— Newsweek "A breast-pocket favorite of many commanders and U.S. Marines."— Christian Science Monitor "The Art of War soon could join Machiavelli's The Prince as required reading in the executive suite."— USA Today About the Author The warrior-philosopher and master strategist Sun Tzu, about whom little is known, compiled The Art of War more than two thousand years ago. Legend has it that he was known for the brilliant campaigns he led around the time of Confucius. His work was memorized and passed down orally, before eventually being copied onto bamboo strips and passed around. At the core of this ancient strategy manual is the understanding that conflict is an inescapable part of human experience. Since, as Sun Tzu teaches, aggression and response in kind can lead only to destruction, we must learn to work with conflict in a more profound and effective way. Crucial to this strategic vision is knowledge—especially self-knowledge—and a picture of the whole that seeks to bring conflicting views into a larger perspective.

This book-and-CD set allows readers to engage with The Art of War in its original medium—the spoken word. The book includes the complete translated text and three original essays exploring its key teachings. Produced under the direction of the Denma Translation Group's James Gimian, the audio program contains the complete Art of War text, read by Carl Williams (disc 1) and selections from the text interspersed with the Denma group's original commentary, read by Carrington MacDuffie (discs 2 and 3).

This fresh and unusually faithful translation preserves the enigmatic quality of the original—allowing us to discover innumerable insights in its lines millennia after this oral tradition was first set down. The commentary by the translators reveals the broader implications of Sun Tzu's teachings and how they can be applied to everyday circumstances.

3 CDs, with a 176-page book

"At the core of the ancient strategy manual known as The Art of War is the understanding that conflict is an inescapable part of human life. Since, as Sun Tzu teaches, aggression and response in kind can lead only to destruction, we must learn to work with conflict in a more profound and effective way. Crucial to this strategic vision is knowledge - especially self-knowledge - and a view of the whole that seeks to bring the conflicting views around to a larger perspective." "This new translation carefully preserves the enigmatic quality of the original - allowing us to discover innumerable insights in its lines millennia after this oral tradition was first set down. Line-by-line commentary and three extensive essays reveal the broader implications of Sun Tzu's teachings and how they can be applied to everyday circumstances. As a result, the classic's basic vocabulary takes on new meaning. War is any situation that demands hard choices about creation and destruction, life or death. The state is the system in which we live - our household, our culture or society, or our own mind. Defense ensures the integrity of our boundaries and allows life to flourish within them. And victory lies in bringing others around to embracing a larger view - one that includes their own - without ever going to battle."--Jacket

Conflict is an inevitable part of life, according to this ancient Chinese classic of strategy, but everything necessary to respond to conflict wisely, thoroughly, and victoriously is right before us at all times. The key to skillful action in any situation is in knowing those things that make up the environment and then seeing the patterns they form so that their power becomes available to us. It is not necessary to change the nature of things to find victory. Since, as Sun Tzu teaches, aggression and response in kind can lead only to destruction, we must learn to work with conflict in a more profound and effective way. The Art of War shows us how.

The Art of War gives us proven strategic skills to apply when we need to take action and overcome obstacles in rapidly changing, chaotic situations. Though ancient in origin, these strategies are accessible because they are based on the ways we already do things. As Sun Tzu shows, rather than getting mired in conflict, we can create momentum and bring about the tipping point to achieve success.

This work is the most famous study of military strategy ever written and has had an extraordinary influence on the history of warfare. Its principles were used by Mao Tse-tung, General Vo Ngyuen Giap, and Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. First translated two hundred years ago, it has been credited with influencing Napoleon, the German general staff, and even the planning for Operation Desert Storm. Today, Western businessmen and other are turning to it for inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive situations of all kinds. Unlike other editions currently available, this translation make use of the best available classical Chinese manuscripts, including the ancient tomb text version discovered by archaeologists at Linyi, China. The author places this classic work of strategy in its proper historical context by supplying a portrait of Sun-Tzu's era and outlining several battles of the period that may have either influenced him or been conducted by him The timeless wisdom of "The Art of War" is as effective in the modern boardroom as it was on the ancient battlefield. Now this dual-language edition offers even greater insight by allowing readers to directly compare the Chinese characters of Sun Tzu with the English translation The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period. The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu A manual on the rational planning and conduct of military operations written over two millennia ago in China 1. Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State.