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The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition | 
 enlarge | Author: Sun Tzu
Creator: Lionel Giles
Publisher: El Paso Norte Press
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $9.99
You Save: $9.96 (50%)
New (23) Used (19) from $8.94
Rating:  28 reviews
Sales Rank: 207725
Media: Paperback
Edition: Special
Pages: 268
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 0976072696
Dewey Decimal Number: 355
EAN: 9780976072690
ASIN: 0976072696
Publication Date: March 21, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
This Special Edition of The Art of War by Sun Tzu presents this timeless classic in two forms: Section I contains the complete thirteen chapters of Sun Tzu's masterpiece in Chinese together with the English translation of Lionel Giles without notes or commentary. This presentation avoids the objection that commentary tends to clutter and obscure the clarity of thought of the ancient military genius. Section II contains the complete translation by Lionel Giles including his extensive introduction and the fully annotated text with explanatory notes and critical commentary. His Introduction includes an historical account of Sun Tzu's work, evaluations by and of early Chinese commentators, an essay examining the traditional Chinese attitudes toward war and a bibliography that details Giles' source materials. The text in this section includes critical commentary and notes by both the Chinese historians as well as by Giles himself. Lionel Giles, as the Keeper of the Department of Oriental printed Books and Manuscripts of the British Museum, was uniquely qualified to translate and explain this great classic Chinese work to Western readers. First published in 1910, Giles' translation is widely considered to be the definitive English version. Other Special Editions in this series which deal with the subject of warfare and strategy include:
The Art of War By Mao Tse-tung - Special Edition
The Art of War By Baron De Jomini - Special Edition
The Art of War & The Prince By Machiavelli - Special Edition
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| Customer Reviews: Read 23 more reviews...
The Best Edition August 25, 2006
Richard York
56 out of 58 found this review helpful
This special edition of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" (The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition) is absolutely the best edition on the market. Not only is Lionel Giles' translation widely considered to be the most readable and scholarly, this particular book gives you two copies of the famous classic: one simple direct translation from the Chinese characters (which are also included in the book) and another copy which is interspersed with extensive notes and commentary by both Lionel Giles and a several native Chinese scholars.
Having two copies of the translation in one volume makes this edition a real treasure. The explanations and details, like the story of training the concubines and several other tales, are not available in the plain translations and they add immeasurably to the richness of the book. By the same token, having a plain, unadorned version in hand so you can just follow Sun Tzu's logical progression is a great plus. Having it all together in one volume is what makes this particular edition remarkable.
If you are looking for the best version of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", then look no further. This is it.
A Great Classic May 7, 2005
Jack Pellhan
48 out of 50 found this review helpful
Sun Tzu's great classic work has been read, re-read and appreciated in China and the East for about 2,500 years. Even today, major Japanese corporations are said to require their executives to be intimately familiar with "The Art of War" for its value as a source of strategy. Napoleon was said to have been influenced by this book - as was Karl von Clausewitz and most modern day military planners around the world.
For an ancient work to have had and still have such a following is ample evidence of its importance. Its current day applications range from military strategy to business philosophy to sales training to computer games. More important than the information contained in "The Art of War" is the logical mindset, the rational point of view that Sun Tzu presents, that contributes to the timelessness of the great book.
Of the numerous editions of "The Art of War" that are available, this Special Edition that contains the Chinese characters, an uncommented English translation, and the full Giles translation with an introduction and annotation is undoubtedly the pick of the litter. It has been said of the Giles translation that it is "somewhat dated". The same could be said of Sun Tzu's great classic itself. Yet it stands, unequaled.
Foundation of Military Science July 4, 2006
Bill Moore
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
Sun Tzu's "Art of War" is truly one of the great military classics of all time. Although it is over 2000 years old, virtually all modern military academies consider it to be a cornerstone of the Military Science curriculum. Sun Tzu's attitude toward war, as an expensive and unfortunate necessity that needs to be dealt with in a rational manner, is presented from the outset and it establishes the basis for his lessons.
His steps in logical progression through the essential elements: motivation, logistics, strategy, tactics and intelligence are, of course, dated. The most important element is the value of applying intelligent, rational consideration to develop the most effective course of action given the circumstances at hand.
The number of absolutely essential books on warfare can probably be counted on one hand. This one is number one.
Excellent Edition !!! December 9, 2006
Lee Hall
20 out of 21 found this review helpful
This particular edition of Sun Tzu's Art of War is really excellent. It contains three separate copies of Sun Tzu's book:
1. The original Chinese text (in modern simplified Chinese characters),
2. A facing version of Lionel Giles' superb translation into English (without notes or comments) and
3. The complete Giles Translation with an extensive introduction and notes throughout the text that provides detailed insight into the meaning and intentions of the text.
Of all the versions of Sun Tzu's book on the market, this one is undoubtedly the best. The scholarship and detail to attention of this edition pays the respect and gives the credit to the great work that it deserves. Other, abbreviated, versions of Sun Tzu's book have their place, but not for those who actually want to understand the lessons of history that have been passed down through the centuries. The meaning of the text, after 25 centuries, requires the perspective of an oriental scholar with Giles' credentials. It is unlikely that the bare English translation, without notes or commentary, can convey to a modern reader the real meaning and intentions of a 2,000 year old Chinese genius.
Lionel Giles's translation is the gold standard for Sun Tzu. His deep understanding of ancient Chinese culture and his own roots in Western culture gave him a unique opportunity to bridge the gap and present native English speakers the opportunity to really understand and appreciate the mindset of this voice from antiquity.
This edition does NOT contain a CD. In spite of the masterful use of the English language by Lionel Giles, the Art of War is not poetry and probably doesn't benefit from oral recitation. This particular edition is THE BOOK for those whose native language is English... and who know how to read.
First-Rate Edition July 4, 2006
Joe Taylor
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
The combination of the full Giles translation of Sun Tzu's famous treatise with a simple direct translation makes this edition really special. This particular edition has my highest recommendation. It fills several needs by providing the Chinese Text with a direct English translation together with the fully commented translation.
After you have read the full version with all of the comments and notes, you can really appreciate the rational simplicity of Sun Tzu's thirteen chapters. Without the background that the full translation provides, most of what Sun Tzu has to say can be easily misinterpreted and applied to all manner of activities. Having access immediate access to Giles' comments and notes, without having to be burdened by it when you just want to concentrate on what Sun Tzu had to say, makes this particular edition worth every penny.
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