The Art of War

by Tzu Sun, Lionel Giles (translator)

In Sun Tzu's "The Art of War," we are transported to the realm of strategic wisdom, a realm that resonates with the enduring truths advocated by traditional teachings. This ancient Chinese treatise unveils insights that transcend temporal boundaries, inviting us to delve into the essence of war as a reflection of cosmic order.

At the heart of "The Art of War" lies the complex dance between forces, illustrating the need for balance in maneuvering through life's battles. Much like traditional esoteric doctrines, Sun Tzu unpacks the interplay of polarities, emphasizing the balance between opposing forces as paramount to achieving victory. This wisdom reflects traditional teachings that emphasize the importance of balance in all facets of existence.

Sun Tzu's emphasis on adaptability aligns with the traditional concept of fluidity and adaptation. Just as the traditional adept attunes himself to the changing tides of the cosmos, so does the strategist in the realm of war. Sun Tzu's advice to be fluid like water, adjusting to circumstances with grace, echoes traditional guidance to align with the currents of metaphysical realities.

In “The Art of War,” Sun Tzu states that true victory lies in the realm of strategy, where battles are won before they are even fought. This resonates deeply with traditional wisdom, where inner preparation is considered as important as outer effort. Just as the traditional researcher prepares through inner alchemy, so the strategic mind prepares through meticulous planning.

Although "The Art of War" may appear to deal solely with martial tactics, its implications extend into the metaphysical and spiritual realm. Just as the traditional adept seeks unity with the divine by harmonizing with cosmic principles, so the strategist seeks victory by aligning with the cosmic order. Thus, the discerning reader can discover in Sun Tzu's wisdom a reflection of the perpetual truths that reside at the heart of traditional teachings.

Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" thus emerges as a treatise that transcends the boundaries of time and culture. His strategic wisdom, while addressing the realm of war, echoes the perpetual truths of balance, adaptability, inner preparation, and alignment with the cosmic order that are at the heart of traditional teachings.

Genres: Classics, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Comics, Philosophy, Self Help, War

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 23, 2011

Reviews

[Michael K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tsun Tzu's book is the basis for making war. Earch person who is placed into a position of such a capacity will have the intellectual basics to make war IF they use what Tsun Tzu has suggested to them. War is, in effect, the final act of any body politic to attain its own goals. War is never the first option, but is always the last option of those in power. However, one could also use these suggestions in order to tackle any other task, such as taking on business ventures. In effect, business is a form of corporate warfare, the same in sports with the coach as the general.

[Nathan Wurschmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a reason that Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is still a respected volume concerning military strategy and strategic application in regard to any competitive endeavor. The wisdom within has lasted for millenniums. To think that strategies written sometime between 544-496BC could still be relevant today is pretty amazing. I have wanted to read this for a long time and finally prioritized it. So glad I did. While this read through was kind of a fast pass, I could see myself referencing this and coming back to it often as I reflect on application.

[Caroline Parkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the
deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will
stand by you even unto death."

God gave His own beloved Son to make us His children, and because of His great love we are willing to suffer and die for Him.

I was surprised by the approachability of this text. The Art of War always seemed so intimidating.
Even more surprising was the wealth of spiritual application; this book is definitely worth studying in more depth to draw out analogies for spiritual warfare.
It is incredible to see God's sovereignty and wisdom displayed in the teaching of those who don't fully grasp the deep truth of what they're writing.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a couple other versions of The Are of War, which I enjoyed a lot. I wasn't sure what to expect from a comic book version, but I thought it was a great idea. It only took about 30 minutes to read and I have to admit I was a bit surprised at the quantity and quality of Sun Tzu's philosophy that was in this (comic) book.

The illustrations were well done and the “characters” and “story” changes for different “lessons” that are presented in the book. So it's more of a “short stories” comic book.

I think that the Smarter Comics version of The Art of War is a great way to get a basic understanding of The Art of War or a great starting point for any one who thinks they might be interested in reading a more “complete” version later.

I know that Smarter Comics are “comics that make you smarter” but I thought the quiz at the end was a bit much (but not enough to change my rating).




Older Review: (August 13,2009)(5 stars)
I read this book a long time ago. I remember thinking I should send a copy of it to president bush after he decided to attack Iraq (the point I lost all respect for the man). When I found a copy at B&N I decided to reread it. It's one of those books that everyone should read at least once in their lives (a few times would be better).

[MsGem · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book, might take me a couple of rereads to figure everything out. Now I just gotta figure out how to apply it...

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that I received for free from "Goodreads Giveaways". The book is carefully crafted to help the individual to understand how one should prepare for war, but at the same time it showcases how we can utilize the text for our daily lives as well. There are many situations where these techniques will help us to survive in this every changing world.

One of the best features of SmarterComics that I have noticed is the inclusion of the quizzes, which I mentioned in my review of the other SmarterComic book that I won entitled "Think and Grow Rich from SmarterComics: The Comic Book that Could Make You Rich!" previously. These quizzes will help to teach this material to a new generation that may find the books unapproachable. The quizzes allow for a teacher to feel that they are worthy of being used as a resource to teach more high-brow material than may be possible otherwise.

Many people speak highly of "The Art of War" but they are not able to get through the book because of it being written centuries ago, but this makes the text approachable for these individuals. These individuals will be able to see wonderful examples of the concepts that are being introduced maybe for the first time in the artwork by Shane Clester. While his art is a bit rough in spots it always conveys what we need to know about the idea that Sun Tzu was trying to present. Using more modern examples, such as battling monsters in a video game, will reach out to a wider audience who has been in similar situations. Every single example really showcases the idea being presented masterfully.

SmarterComics is really doing something wonderful for individuals that may have a more challenging time reading and I sincerely appreciate that as someone that once had those issues. These books should be picked up by educators, readers, and anyone that enjoys comics. They are a great series of books from SmarterComics. (and no I am in no way affiliated with the company, but I honestly appreciate what they are doing!!!)

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Art of War from Smarter­Comics: How to be Suc­cess­ful in Any Com­pe­ti­tion by Sun Tzu, illus­trated by Shane Chester is a graphic novel of the famous book. Many think that this famous book is only about war, but truth be told, its lessons could be applied to man­age­ment and man­age­ment styles.

The Art of War from Smarter­Comics: How to be Suc­cess­ful in Any Com­pe­ti­tion by Sun Tzu, illus­trated by Shane Chester depicts Sun Tzu’s mas­ter­piece by high­light­ing the main teach­ings of the clas­sic guide. The artist por­trays Sun Tzu as he guides the reader through the pages and applies the prin­ci­ples of the Art of War to mod­ern life and man­age­ment issues.

While some folks have issues with this book, I feel that the teach­ings are time­less. The sit­u­a­tions in which Chester illus­trates Sun Tzu are fun and fan­tas­ti­cal, from the sharks in the board­room to the busi­ness­men of the mafia, from the crim­i­nal politi­cian to the wrestler and the rap­per — Sun Tzu’s prin­ci­ples apply to all conflicts.

The graphic novel does get the main point of the book across; the art­work is very good, with a sense of humor and, as comic do, fills in the blanks where the text is mis­sion. This is an enjoy­able intro­duc­tion to the famous book, but it doesn’t replace it. The Art of War should be stud­ied, not read, and applied to sit­u­a­tions in our daily man­age­ment tasks.

This book is short, even shorter than the orig­i­nal, and took me maybe an hour to read. The graphic novel dri­ves the point that each indi­vid­ual can apply these con­cepts to their own dilemma and over­come them with dig­nity, and some­times even grace.

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another WIN from SmarterComics! I really like the way you take these books that my teenage son SHOULD read, and put them into a format that he WANTS to read!! Thanks!! I won this in a giveaway on Goodreads!

[Yvonne Stegall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great comic rendition. The illustrations are absolutely amazing. Anothor great win from Goodreads First Reads. (received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads)

[Grace Usleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

*audiobook version*

3.5

Got a little bored and repetitive at the end, but mostly very interesting and really does stand the test of time. Definitely would recommend getting a physical copy to annotate and or that contains comments/analysis— I think the audiobook doesn’t really do justice to a philosophical perspective like this.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting dive into war strategies.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad once told me that even though I already knew everything (something I took at face value at the time), it was a good idea to review the basics now and then. This book is about reviewing the basics. Sun Tzu's advice is offered with just enough shrouds of time and distance to make you think... and agree with the advice. I knew that, but it's good to give some thought to how the hell I might cultivate a few more allies, make it worth their while to be allied with me.

I'd heard of Sun Tzu for years without ponying up and actually reading the guy. SmarterComics made that easy via the format of the graphic novel. The modern examples are imaginatively conceived and sharply drawn - really, far more fun than the Cliff Notes could ever have made it.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has an intimidating title but is surprisingly approachable once you open it up. Each set of two pages is a segment on a specific philosophy of Sun Tzu. The first spread describes the context for the situation and the second spread shows the principle being applied in a modern setting. It was fun to get to the end and find a little quiz to run through what I'd learned. I could see this being a great tool for boys especially- it's something my brothers felt comfortable picking up and flicking through.

[Samantha Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book overall. I liked the fact that the artists translated the books, found the best way to honor the text, and then put it in an easy read format. Not only did they do that, but they applied the text to everyday situations. This is definitely a quick read, but well worth it. I think that I have found a book that I can read over and over.


This was a Goodreads First Read.

[Shane Cormier · Rating 5 out of 5]

THanks for the win. I enjoyed this COMIC BOOK, NOT THIS LIFE MANUAL. Great artwork and very well done simplified story line. Boo Hoo Hoo, it didnt help Napolean win the war. Boo Hoo it doesnt work to help you defeat your enemies because they already read the book before you. Thanks for the win I really really enjoyed this comic. Cant wait to check out your other work.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book but was happy because it had come up in conversations multiple times recently. It is basically a graphic novel cliff notes of the original book which I wish they had when I was in school. I could use one of Dantes Inferno since I cant seem to get through it. Anyway, worth the read. There is a lot to sink in so I will probably reread again.

[Sarah & Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clever.

[C · Rating 2 out of 5]

การ์ตูน อ่านเพลิน ๆ
เอาบทเรียนจากตำราพิชัยสงครามซุนวู
มาประยุกต์ให้ดูเป็นตัวอย่างง่าย ๆ

[Stephen A. Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent:

It may have been written in the 5th Century BC, but wow! No wonder this is required reading for officers and those in management positions, and its message/instruction could be easily adapted by anyone to their own lives or situations. Read broadly and outside of the military context this is a book on strategic thinking, integrated thinking, logic, and cost-benefit analysis. It promotes an understanding of the importance of context (in all its forms) for an individual (not just teams/groups/armies). Most generally, understanding context means understanding the social, physical, political, economic (etc…) landscape and both the positive and negative consequences of action and inaction and promotes the honing of skills in strategic and integrated thinking. Concise and well written book, and I think (though not certain) it seemed like the original source of several well known sayings (noting this is a translated work).

[AnaCVG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally written as a military treatise, this book goes far beyond warfare. Its strategic principles, like knowing yourself and acting with intention, are timeless and deeply relevant to leadership, business, and personal growth.

Rather than promoting aggression, it encourages wisdom, preparation, adaptability, and calm decision-making. It’s clear why these lessons still resonate today, in boardrooms, as much as on battlefields.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good, albeit very basic guide into war strategies, army management and winning a war. Which makes sense given this book was written to advise Chinese military commanders, back when said military commanders didn't have a lot of experience and often got their positions via nepotism, and basically functioned as a crash course in warfare.

[Cora-Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was good information, wise I suppose.
Not a very captivating read though, I had to keep forcefully pulling my attention back to it.
It would be much more captivating if I was in a war zone and could probably save many lives.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's what it is. Nothing riveting or super insightful. If you've watched any movie or read any book that deals with battles, it's pretty general knowledge. Pretty useful for the bros in olden times, though. Like all business related reads, underwhelming and overhyped.

[Sieb Kelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read if you're writing a fantasy novel with war strategy

[Mike Grace Author · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the greatest strategy books ever written, and they are applicable across so many parts of our life where struggle and assertive behavior are necessary.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Might reread it once a year.

[Pamela Hagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent read. While Sun Tzu was an historic wartime general, being a Renaissance man ahead of his time, he was also a very deep thinker and philosopher.

The Art of War is classified as an excellent strategic military tactical manual. But it is so much more. To begin with, the central message, the premise of The Art of War is that war should be avoided by use of diplomacy ~ and deception; Fighting should always be the last option and engaged in only when it can’t be avoided;

The wisdom is so far reaching it can and has been applied to most everything from business to game theory to love. He was a mass of contradictions. He valued (and spent much time with) his 180 concubines (and a few consorts) but since he thought women could be quite valuable as strategists, diplomats and spies, he was essentially a feminist.

If you think you don’t know any of Sun Tzu’s quotes, think again. Many are deeply imbedded in many languages. For example, Know thyself, know thy enemy; it’s easy to love your friends but strive to love your enemy; the concept of shock and awe and it’s effectiveness; ditto with scorched earth; buy low sell high; victory is sweetest in the battle never fought; feign weakness when strong, strength when weak; the only constant is change;

[Mati · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not sure what to thing about this comics. The adaptation of Art of War in to this ...well not bad but not good either. It missed so many points...after all it is just graphic novel and it emphasis on things which can be used for it.

[Mitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info and illustrations, but something about the printing process or ink used to create this book left the pages with a very strong unpleasant smell. The fumes burned my nose, and I had to stop reading by page 33. I was disappointed that I couldn't finish it.

[Lulu]

I won this book from the first reads giveaways and I am so excited to read it. Thanks.