PENGUIN The Art of War

This exact version for lazy readers. ❤️Only the essence delivered like poetry as Master Sun would tell it, and zero BS commentary.

Tiny hardcover, but I love the cover. I plan to buy others like this because I think they'll look handsome on my bookshelf.Looking forward to reading it again.

I have read other versions of The Art of War before, but when I picked up this book, I was instantly absorbed into the text and ideas like never before. I simply cannot emphasise how relevant this book still is to us today. Some of SunTze's observations and advice are just simply ingenious. He is also precise and logical, which is not often the case for a book written more than 2000 years ago.The book is divided in three parts. The first is an introduction to SunTze and gives some background on the historical context. This I found very informative and helpful. The second part contains the full translated text of The Art of War written in prose form. Frankly I found this a lot easier to read than some other editions where the author attempts to translate everything into modern English. The fact that each idea is set out in a format closer to its original Chinese form here, made it more condensed and interesting to interpret. There were fewer words to each concept, allowing more concentrated thoughts and I felt I was given more freedom to think and come to my own interpretation or conclusion.The third part contains the narratives and some author notes on the work. It is of significant importance to any serious reader of The Art of War as the commentaries give examples or interpretations, which help us understand the context of some of SunTze's expositions or thoughts.The quality of the book is also excellent. Very handy size for carrying and tough enough to withstand wear and tear. The paper is thick and of good quality. Comes with a blue bookmark attached to the spine. All in all, one of my best purchases in the last few years, definitely worth the small price difference compared to other cheaper versions.

Retired Professor John Minford is only a handful of people who truly understand the essence of the Art of War: "It is beautiful and chilling." He has been a translator and teacher of the Chinese language since 1977, and had chaired the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Department of Asian Languages at the University of Auckland.Dr. Minford's translation is extremely concise yet complete -- much to our pleasant surprise -- and is truer to the original Chinese format than all previously published Sun Tzu versions. Our analysis shows great care was given to rendering each and every word. Incorporating the conventionally accepted text, Shiyijia zhu Sunzi, along with commentary from various ancient and modern sources, his book is perfect for someone who wants both an accurate translation and an extensive explanation of its many concepts and principles. The book is broken out into two major parts: the first part presents the core text unadorned, and the second part has the same text with well-selected commentary.Just when we thought a new Sun Tzu the Art of War translation is not needed, John Minford's masterful work proved us wrong. Indeed, we are certain the value of his Art of War will only increase over time. Sonshi.com.

- love the cover- the book is great to read- product delivered promptly and safely