Thunder in the Sky

by Thomas Cleary, Chin-Ning Chu

"Thunder in the sky" is an ancient Chinese metaphor for great power, progress, and strength going into action. Understanding the development and practice of power - based on an in-depth observation of human psychology - has been a part of traditional Chinese thought for thousands of years and is considered a prerequisite for mastering the arts of strategy and leadership. Thunder in the Sky presents two secret classics of this ancient Chinese tradition, translated here for the first time. These texts show that the key to successful leadership lies in determining strategies based on a keen grasp of the aspirations, intentions, and abilities of those around you, especially your enemies and allies. The book discusses the subtleties of strategic thinking and decision making, including how to ascertain people's inner states of mind, test subordinates' strengths, anticipate and avoid dangerous situations, overcome weakness in people and organizations and build alliances and oppositions.

Genres: Philosophy, Psychology, Martial Arts

130 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Dr. Thomas Francis Cleary, Ph.D. (East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University; J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley), was a prolific translator of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Muslim classics, with a particular emphasis on popular translations of Mahāyāna works relevant to the Chan, Zen, and Soen systems.

Reviews

[Mike Wigal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a book one can simply read and therefore understand Taoist philosophy. Taoism is deeply cultural. I lived in a Taoist monastery in China (Wu Dang Shan) for nearly a year. We ate, slept and lived the Tao. In the end I had the merest glimmer of understanding. It's barely relevant to most modern day Chinese. That said there are moments of enlightenment.

But for western minds perhaps a better book would be "48 Laws of Power" by Robert Greene.

[Pamela Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thunder in the Sky is a relatively quick read, but it packs quite a punch in its 180 pages. It takes the basic principles of Machiavelli, combines it with the teachings of Lao Tzu, and shows how they can be applied in the modern corporate arena to effectively gain power.

[Jason Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would suggest this a required reading before one tried the I Ching or Da De Jing or Hua Hu Ching.

[Manish Soni · Rating 1 out of 5]

Useless book. Why it has got do many positive reviews?

[Jason Mills · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I thought it was going to be. The book has little to no practical use. For those interested in this topic, read Robert Greene's "48 Laws of Power".