The Art of War: The Definitive Interpretation of Sun Tzu's Classic Book of Strategy Paperback – April 15, 1996

This was my first taking of The Art of War, and I've gotta say that I am not one bit disappointed. Prior to purchasing this copy here, I had skimmed random pages in local bookstores of other translations. The problem was that I had found that many times the author's own, personal insights drastically changed the takeaway I felt from each passage. I can appreciate personal insights, but when it seems to counteract the original intent, and integrity of the work (which may, or may not have actually existed), then I find it very disconnected from the original text.I would recommend this to anyone looking for the quick and dirty English translation, without all of the bells and whistles, and especially devoid of the translation author's personal footnotes.5-stars

Great translation, easy to read and to the point. Bought this translation due to having the book of 5 rings by same author, which is also a great read.

This interpretation of the Art of War is so definitive that it is possible to combine it with any first-rate copy of the original treatise in order to render the ultimate guide to winning without fighting comprehensible. Highly recommend.

Great book/interpretation. The store I got it from was great. I asked a question and they immediately got back to me with answers, couldn’t have been any better of an experience on Amazon. Store/person was okfamilyman

Being familiar with Kaufman's presentation of the Book of five Rings available from the same publisher this version of Sun Tzu is a good English language translation. Keep in mind that Kaufman offers these works from a decidedly modern perspective and in an extremely pragmatic fashion. Devoid of footnotes and references save for the brief prefaces Mr. Kaufman provides them as serious study guides nonetheless. Highly recommended Reading for strategy enthusiasts.

im a self trained martial artist, I study wing chun, jeet kune do, muay thai, taekwondo, judo, boxing, and Japanese sword fighting, as well as the art of concealment and so on.. this book gives you a great perspective on life in the modern world such as work strategy, dealing with every day problems as well as martial arts strategy and ofcourse a way to approach any conflict. read this book its better than any self help book I believe

I was looking for a straight interpretation of the original text, as indicated by earlier reviewers, and this was excellent. Easy-to-read and clear.

Although not a direct translation, this translation/interpretation makes the principles of The Art of War easily understood and applied by most readers. It is an excellent training tool for subordinate staff leaders to help them grow with a leader's mindset.