The Art of War

The Art of War, written in China during the fifth century BCE by military expert Sun Tzu, has been favored reading among soldiers and strategists for two millennia. Its concise 13 chapters, studied to this day by world leaders and generals from Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong to US Joint Chiefs Chairman Colin Powell, teach victory through studying the opponent, building impregnable defenses, confusing the enemy with diversions, and attacking forcefully its weak spots. The book is recommended reading at leading military academies in the US, Great Britain, and elsewhere.

The principles expounded in The Art of War also apply in other areas of intense competition, such as politics, business, and sports. The book remains especially popular among business leaders, who apply its tenets to their marketplace strategies and tactics. Trial attorneys are known to use the work’s tactics in court.

Widely available in the public domain, The Art of War boasts several English translations. The celebrated 1910 version translated by Lionel Giles, with annotations, appears in a 2016 eBook edition published by Coterie Classics; it forms the basis for this study guide.

Summary

The Art of War begins with a warning:

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