The Art of War (Pocket Edition)

Book excerpt: Compiled more than two thousand years ago by a mysterious warrior-philosopher, The Art of War is still perhaps the most prestigious and influential book of strategy in the world today, as eagerly studied in Asia by modern politicians and executives as it as been by military leaders since ancient times. As a study of the anatomy of organizations in conflict, The Art of War applies to competition and conflict in general, on every level from the interpersonal to the international. Its aim is invincibility, victory without battle, and unassailable strength through understanding of the physics, politics, and psychology of conflict. Translated from a standard collection of commentaries on Sun Tzu's text by eleven interpreters, this pocket classic has been edited by Thomas Cleary to bring out the meaning of the principles of strategy.