The Art of War
Sun Tzu
Pax Librorum
Nonfiction, History/Warfare
***+
DESCRIPTION: Since before the dawn of history, war has been an integral part of mankind. A wise general, however, does not simply rely on tribal chaos or pure chance
to dictate the outcome of a battle. Based on the 1910 English translation by Lionel Giles, this edition of the classic Chinese text offers timeless advice on the subject of
war.
(NOTE: The Amazon link is not the exact version reviewed.)
REVIEW: Though the identity - and even the existence - of Sun Tzu is a matter of scholarly debate, the book attributed to him offers basic, sound advice on the matter
of warfare and troop movements for rulers, generals, or would-be writers of fictional rulers and generals. While the weaponry and technology of warfare has advanced
considerably since this was penned, the basic logistics and strategy remain much as they were when Sun Tzu lived (if he, indeed, lived at all.) I might have hoped for a
little more depth, but on the whole I can't complain... especially as it was a free, public domain download for my Kindle.
(And, yes, I'm aware that I'm likely committing an Anglocentric faux-pas by filing this under "T.")
You might also enjoy:
The Art of War for Writers (James Scott Bell, Writing - Sound strategic advice for winning the eternal war of words)
Anatomy of the Castle (John Gibson, Nonfiction - A history of castles and fortified structures, from prehistory through the Golden Age)
Knights (Andrea Hopkins, Nonfiction - The truth behind the legendary medieval warriors)
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