The Art of War—Spirituality for Conflict: Annotated & Explained

by Thomas Cuong Huynh, Sun Tzu, Marc Benioff (Foreword)

Discover the spiritually incisive strategies for peacefully resolving conflict in this masterpiece of military strategy.

Written 2,500 years ago by Chinese general Sun Tzu, The Art of War is a poetic and potent treatise on military strategy still in use in war colleges around the world. Yet its principles transcend warfare and have practical applications to all the conflicts and crises we face in our lives in our workplaces, our families, even within ourselves.

Thomas Huynh guides you through Sun Tzu's masterwork, highlighting principles that encourage a perceptive and spiritual approach to conflict, enabling you to:
•Prevent conflicts before they arise
•Peacefully and quickly resolve conflicts when they do arise
•Act with courage, intelligence and benevolence in adversarial situations
•Convert potential enemies into friends
•Control your emotions before they control you

Now you can experience the effectiveness of Sun Tzu's teachings even if you have no previous knowledge of The Art of War. Insightful yet unobtrusive facing-page commentary explains the subtleties of the text, allowing you to unlock the power of its teachings and help prevent and resolve the conflicts in your own life."

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Self Help, Classics, War, History

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Thomas Cuong Huynh is founder of Sonshi.com. He is also the author of The Art of War--Spirituality for Conflict and a graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University of Washington.

Reviews

[Vikas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dont read this book like Novel,Its like a remedy to life's battles:when the world is overbearing I take solace in the wisdom of the greatest minds I have heard. I envy those who can go steadfast through life when life is against you,your reality is crumbling akin to a supernova after which your heart implodes rapidly into a neutron star, a singularity.
I seek comfort and go through it. Hence I will mark it as read. If there are words that my wounded heart would get comfort from, if there is a way I want to find when I am lost of the silk route to divination seeking the guidance of the mountains. I seek comfort, I seek wisdom and I seek to set my heart ablaze, to show the word the tint of my blood, to show the word the hue of my soul, to know the sinew of my convictions.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one, though I didn't have an annotated copy of it. I rather enjoyed pondering the meaning of the passages and the different perspectives offered therein. It ended up serving as a good exercise in mental fluidity. If you like this, check out The Book of Five Rings, another exercise treatise on martial philosophy explained through mastery of sword techniques. If you can get past antiquated ideas on gender, also check out Hagakure.

[Arjit Anant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instructs us in patience, flexibility, resolve, discernment, skillful means & compassion with a practical & pragmatic guidance. A good read after all.

[Prakash G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took my time to complete this book to assimilate whatever I read. I swear, every word has been carefully chosen to express Sun Tzu's thoughts. The primary message is brutally simple, Do whatever you can to prevent a conflict and if you must get into one do whatever you can to end it asap in your favour. War must be fought for peace and nothing else.

[Camille Siddartha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone gave this to me when I was taking the greyhound to Victoria...

I understand it now...

[Victor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dull at first due to some common sense knowledge such as “attack when the enemy is weak” or “be formless in order to confuse the enemy”. I guess the second quote isn’t that common, but there were some lines that were a little too obvious for me.

The second half of the book is where it gets useful. Sun Tzu gives a few examples of how to deal with enemies and allies that can be extended to modern day situations, such as at work or in personal matters.

I also think this book is meant to be digested slowly. Some of the lines are a little “vague” in the sense that they need to be thought about carefully to be used in a modern context.

I’ll be reading this book every once in a while to see how my different perspectives can change my understanding of the text.

[Nahid · Rating 5 out of 5]

With so many editions available nowadays, it is by far the best edition I have ever read. An unbiased and very thought-provoking interpretation of Art of War. Unbiased true translations are rare and hard to find - like the book says, authors slightly influence with their choice of words while translating. This book is the product of twenty years of dedicated scholarship and application of The Art of War. The author worked with over forty of the most reputable authors and scholars of The Art of War over the years. I own half dozen editions of the art of war. But this one always stands out from all the rest. The author translates each verse in plain English so that anyone can comprehend. Thomas did not just translate the verses, he also explains how the strategies and tactics can be applied to day to day activities as well as resolving conflicts.

Sun Tzu’s original intended audience were those on the weaker side of a struggle for power. He wanted to teach a person or group in the position of disadvantage how to turn the tables so that they could occupy the advantageous position.

I particularly like the chapters on Grounds (environments) which raised a lot of questions in my mind about the kind of attitude that we keep, whether it is in business or in personal life.

The Art of War itself is somewhat deceptive. It is short enough to be read in an afternoon, but subtle and nuanced enough to be studied for years, decades, a lifetime.

[Miglė]

• Sun Zi tekstas - puikus. Karo strategijos ir taktikos patarimai aiškūs, bet ir pakankamai bendri. Skaitosi kaip poezija, užsilieka galvoje. 兵者, 詭道也.
• Tekstas apie tai, kaip panaudoti Sun Zi patarimus versle, (kaip ir buvo galima tikėtis) visiškas šūdas. Pradžioje autorius atskirai pakomentuoja, kad šios knygos patarimai skirti labiau darbiniams santykiams, o ne manipuliuoti šeimos nariais / mylimaisiais / artimaisiais. Nežinau, jei rašyčiau knygą tokiai auditorijai, kurią turėčiau atskirai eksplicitiškai įspėti dėl karo taktikos naudojimo prieš artimiausius / mylimiausius žmones, gal visgi dar kartą pagalvočiau, ar tikrai reikia rašyti knygą tokiai auditorijai.

Bendrai imant - nerekomenduoju. Sun Zi tekstą galima laisvai rasti internete daugybe kalbų, o tie bežiūrint į lubas sugalvoti "verslo patarimai" tikrai nenusipelnė jūsų dėmesio.

[Yogesh Malhotra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives detailed guidelines to follow whenever you feel trapped in conflicts. Though the title of the book seems a little harsh - The Art of War, but concepts and insights presented in this book stem from need to have compassion and empathy for others. Throughout the book, we are reminded that adversaries are not be destroyed, rather analysed and be rendered harmless. We are supposed to evaluate ourselves in terms of our strengths and weaknesses and so for our adversaries and enemies. He who has learnt to stay calm, well informed, compassionate yet hard to fight and win over is truly a winner.

It's not a one time read, can be read over and again to absorb and reflect teachings in our routine behaviour.

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonder of the book
Sun Tzu principle of war can be applied any where in the world
Catchy like
Know your enemy means knowing yourself.
Take equipment but provision from enemy.
First loyalty then punishment.
Put army in danger, Victory is certain
Protecting bring lazy
Speed and be early to the battle spot means victory.
Listen locally
Never let your movement to enemy
Don't fix time
......
Amazing and enlightening
One book should be on your working table to chew!
Great!!

[Aniesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ageless Wisdom from a battle harden General. Pertinent in modern times also.

[Ananya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciate the annotations by Thomas Huynh. The historical references and Taoist interpretations were very helpful.

[Rajeevan · Rating 4 out of 5]

good experience

[Calvin Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review – The Art of War by Sun Tzu

I finally read The Art of War by Sun Tzu—and honestly? It’s one of those books that makes you pause, reread, and rethink. Yes, it’s technically a military strategy book written over 2,000 years ago, but it’s still weirdly relevant. Whether you're leading a team, handling conflict, or even navigating personal struggles, there’s something in here for you.

What surprised me is how calm and philosophical it is. Sun Tzu isn’t about charging into battle. He talks about winning without fighting, about knowing yourself and the enemy, about timing, preparation, and the power of patience.

One of my favorite lines?
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”
It hits hard because it applies to life, not just war. Career, relationships, self-growth—you name it.

This isn’t a book you read once and forget. It’s one you revisit when life gets messy, when you feel stuck or need clarity. A short read, but packed with wisdom. It’s like having a calm, ancient mentor whispering in your ear: "Don’t rush. Think. Be still. Then move."

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Review Buku – The Art of War oleh Sun Tzu
Akhirnya aku baca The Art of War karya Sun Tzu. Dan jujur… ini tipe buku yang bikin kamu berhenti sejenak, baca ulang, dan mikir lagi. Meskipun ini buku strategi militer yang ditulis ribuan tahun lalu, isinya masih sangat relevan sampai sekarang.
Bukan cuma buat perang, tapi buat hidup juga—buat kerja, buat mimpin tim, buat menghadapi konflik, bahkan buat urusan personal.

Yang bikin aku kaget, ternyata isi bukunya tuh kalem dan filosofis. Sun Tzu bukan tipe yang “ayo serang duluan!” Tapi justru ngajarin kita untuk menang tanpa bertarung, untuk mengenal diri sendiri dan lawan, ngerti timing, dan sabar dalam strategi.

Salah satu kutipan favoritku:
“Kenali musuhmu dan kenali dirimu sendiri, maka kamu tidak akan takut menghadapi seratus pertempuran.” Duhhh, itu bukan cuma soal perang—tapi juga soal hidup. Cocok banget diterapin buat karier, hubungan, dan pertumbuhan diri.

Ini bukan buku yang sekali baca langsung bisa dilupain. Ini buku yang bakal kamu buka lagi pas hidup mulai berantakan, atau pas kamu lagi butuh ketenangan dan arah. Pendek, tapi penuh isi. Rasanya kayak punya mentor bijak dari zaman kuno yang bisikin: “Tenang. Pikir dulu. Baru bergerak.”

[Elizabeth Kefaloukos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this first many years ago. Since then, each new reading provides different perspectives and renewed relevance. The advice is simple yet penetratingly effective and applicable to all manner of life’s trials/tribulations. This book will be carried with me everywhere until the pages are yellowed and dog-eared and the cover is creased with veiny threads of white from overzealous page-turning.

[Siddharth Zaveri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book teaches you more about keeping peace, than about war. You won’t understand this book in one go. This book will teach you different things at different stages of life. A must read.

[Abhishek Biswas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

The book is packed with wisdom, but yes you need some patience to get through it. Sometimes the book seemed boring, but that was not for long. It's a pretty small book, every right side page is filled with the original text and in the left page there is the interpretation. Sometimes the right side pages have only a few lines of text, but that text is very essential and holds a lot of wisdom. So in spite of being a slim book it took a good amount of time to read. Learned a lot.

[Rajat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well written version of an age-old classic book.

[Rakshita · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very nice thought provoking read. It is a concise but insightful with lots of advice in the field of leadership and life in general. The lessons for war prescribed in the book can be applied in our every day lives as well. However I did not find anything very new here, in terms of advice for life at least. But a good unbiased interpretation of Sun Tzu's work nonetheless.

[Zenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Art of War originally written by Sun Tzu is an influential piece of work even today despite being written around the 5th century BCE.
Main takeaways:
1. The book isn't limited to wars of the ancient times. Wars are still being fought presently (most completely unnoticed) but the entire scope of them have changed. The strategies mentioned still remain relevant and effective.
2. It transcends beyond war-like situations. For any instance in life when there's a conflict, personal or otherwise, this book probably contains a verse which can provide you with a solution.
3. Even though the book has war in it's title, it doesn't get much into the mechanics of field battle and the physical warfare between soldiers of the army. Rather it focuses on the tactics for the ones in command that could help limit the magnitude of overall destruction.
4. Essentially, it advocates peaceful resolution. Waging war against your enemy is considered to be a last resort as the author clearly recognises the unnecessary loss caused due to battle.

Conclusively, this book is as much about peace as it is about war. The annotations and explanations are certainly helpful as by itself, a lot of the terms would have gone over my head.

[Divya Sornaraja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clarity of the message and the utmost care taken by Thomas Hyun behind translating Sun Tzu's words was evident with the book. Unbiased true translations are rare and hard to find - like the book says, authors slightly influence with their choice of words while translating.

It felt like Sun Tzu's very own nature full of compassion has led him to write this book to contain the madness of the rulers that prevailed in ancient days running behind glory than caring for the lives that depend on him/her. As the general who lived and cared for his people, Sun Tzu truly sounded like a mother in most parts of the book.

Just one thing - I found it strange that when referring to an adversary, the author strangely referred them as 'her' in many instances. Still curious about the choice of the term..

Having grown up listening to the Hindu mythological stories of Mahabharata & Ramayana, a lot of the concepts reminded me of instances from those stories. Wonder what examples Devdutt Patnaik would give to all 13 chapters. Would love the parallel between the Ancient Chinese & the Ancient Indian.. :)

[Siddharth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely not a one time read but many. The wisdom shared requires you to go over and over and try to understand and unravel the mystical text in different ways. You can very easily use the lessons in your day to day life and improve it. Don't get disheartened if you do not get the text in the first go (personal experience).

P.S. - 'Art of War - Spirituality for Conflict' was my first ever novel which I bought with my own money and it was kind of a start of my reading escapade. Now two years after I bought this book, I was finally able to complete it be it my third attempt :D

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sun Tzu is clear in his own way of battle and in leadership, to acquire what he want, he is a man of rules and patient.
It describe the way to lead people and to make better decision for betterness, and also what a leader would've possess in his soul.
Sun Tzu show respect and power of rule on battle field that how a person can be capable of power.
This book shows a lifestyle of day-to-day life can be simple with great efforts of leadership.
After i read it rocked me so much.

[Derek Neveu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not your traditional page turner, but this text is still relevant and an important read in any industry today. I’m amazed at both how people don’t understand this text, and how applicable Sun-Tzu’s principles still are. Who would have thought that a military strategist and an educator who share such common ground?

[Arushi John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read. The importance of this book keeps increasing as the years go by. In a time where a majority of us are hot headed, it's a gentle reminder to take a step back and be kind, compassionate beings to avoid engaging in conflicts as far as it is possible.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concisely written, thought provoking expose on conflict. I thoroughly enjoyed letting the ideas simmer and often return to this book.

[Rick Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just read it. You'll be glad ya did.

[Siddharth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread essential to effectively internalize this work. Overall nice read.

[Zahra Marzook]

Essential Guide for Nations, Countries and any other Governments. Ideal for Personal Life Development as well. Wonder why people aren't making use of this immensely valuable book.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable and interesting read. The ideas are still relevant in the modern world.