Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Art of War: The Quintessential Collection of Military Strategy

Rate this book
This elegantly designed edition of  The Art of War  includes four of history's key   The Art of War ,  The Prince ,  On War ,  Instructions to His Generals .

Collected in this elegant volume are four of the most influential military and political treatises in history . Originally written for a specific purpose, the principles conveyed through these strategy texts are universal and timeless, and continue to illuminate and inspire.

Whether you approach this reading for its historical significance or choose to apply this knowledge toward achieving success in your own life, you will be enriched. This stunning clothbound hardcover features a slipcase, ribbon marker, historical timeline, and comprehensive introduction providing the reader with enlightening information on the history of each text .

This highly produce volume
 
The Art of War
In the oldest and most influential strategy text in existence, Sun Tzu’s teachings (c. 6th century BC) on how to successfully respond to and handle situations of conflict is a must-read for business leaders of today.
 
The Prince
Written during the Italian Renaissance, Niccolo Machiavelli's (1469–1527) astute observations on how to read people and situations, especially for acquiring and maintaining political power, is a classic primer for politicians and business leaders alike.
 
On War
Drawing on his experience in the Prussian military, General Carl von Clausewitz’s (1780–1831) examination of the realities of warfare, including its moral and psychological aspects, is required reading at military academies.
 
Instructions to His Generals
Establishing Prussia as a major force by successfully defeating French, Russian, and Austrian armies during the Seven Years' War, Frederick the Great's (1712–1786) advice on leadership, strategy, tactics, and discipline continues to be relevant.

The Knickerbocker Classics bring together the essential works of classic authors from around the world in stunning editions to be collected and enjoyed.

348 pages, Hardcover

Published October 31, 2017

6 people are currently reading
713 people want to read

About the author

Sun Tzu

1,380 books3,603 followers
Sun Tzu (traditional Chinese: 孫子; simplified Chinese: 孙子; pinyin: Sūnzǐ) was a Chinese military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer who lived during the Eastern Zhou period (771–256 BC). Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, an influential work of military strategy that has affected both Western and East Asian philosophy and military thought. Sun Tzu is revered in Chinese and East Asian culture as a legendary historical and military figure. His birth name was Sun Wu (traditional Chinese: 孫武; simplified Chinese: 孙武) and he was known outside of his family by his courtesy name Changqing (Chinese: 長卿). The name Sun Tzu—by which he is more popularly known—is an honorific which means "Master Sun".
Sun Tzu mastered the military science of ancient China and created the military doctrine of asymmetrical warfare. According to it, an attack on the enemy should begin only after the enemy has no opportunity to either defend or counterattack. It was used in the wars in the era of the Warring States in ancient China (about 475–221 BC). It differs from the modern interpretation of asymmetric military strategy. The ancient warriors used to call it the Victorious Methods of Warfare (sheng er zhan zhi), but it has the same meaning as the modern asymmetrical military strategy. The ancient professional warriors used it in individual combats against the enemies in the wars. As a result, a variety of armed and unarmed combat combinations have been created for various combat situations as the individual battle plans. Those combat combinations had specific names, descriptions and classifications.
Sun Tzu's historicity is uncertain. The Han dynasty historian Sima Qian and other traditional Chinese historians placed him as a minister to King Helü of Wu and dated his lifetime to 544–496 BC. Modern scholars accepting his historicity place the extant text of The Art of War in the later Warring States period of 475 to 221 BC, based on its style of composition and its descriptions of warfare. Traditional accounts state that the general's descendant Sun Bin wrote a treatise on military tactics, also titled The Art of War. Since both Sun Wu and Sun Bin were referred to as "Sun Tzu" in classical Chinese texts, some historians believed them identical, prior to the rediscovery of Sun Bin's treatise in 1972.
Sun Tzu's work has been praised and employed throughout the arc of East Asian military history since its composition, and eventually earned global attention. During the twentieth century, The Art of War grew in popularity and saw practical use in the Western world as well. It remains influential in many contemporary competitive endeavors across the modern world beyond military strategy and warfare, including espionage, culture, governance, business, and sports.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
15 (41%)
4 stars
17 (47%)
3 stars
4 (11%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Profile Image for T.M. Tarantino.
Author 21 books6 followers
March 25, 2024
I listened to the art of war, particularly by Sun Tzu on a audiobook, which was pretty awesome. Actually, this was actually a very good book. When you’re not a time crunch, I would recommend listening to it on audiobook. I was still a very good book and talked about the different ways to strategize, and everything else is very interesting indeed, I just hope to use this my karate class one day
Profile Image for John.
447 reviews15 followers
November 6, 2017
"The Art of War: The Quintessential Collection of Military Strategy" is set of military strategy books together in a very well put together set. These are all things that can be applied your daily life, work, and business. These are also a MUST read if your a fan of military history, or just love books on strategy. I won this on GoodReads and can only say THANKS for what will be in my library for a long time to come for me, my children and grandkids to enjoy.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
6,311 reviews117 followers
June 5, 2023
The Art of War: The Quintessential Collection of Military Strategy by Sun Tzu - This is a really gorgeous anthology for anyone who has an interest in strategy and power dynamics. I had read several of these works before, but I really enjoyed having them all together in this really smart looking addition. I would recommend this to anyone who has ambitions for greatness! These are the masters of strategy! Happy Reading!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.