Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Art of War
    The Art of War
    The Art of War
    Audiobook4 hours

    The Art of War

    Written by Sun Tzu

    Narrated by George Guidall and Joe Mantegna

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    Born over 2,400 years ago, warrior, thinker, and leader Sun Tzu lived during a time of great internecine conflict in China. A classic of Chinese literature, Art of War reveals the strategies, tactics, and insights that lead to success. Mastery of warfare and the maintenance of power are the most important values in Sun's philosophy--without which there can be no peace or life. According to Sun, studying your enemy, detecting his weakness, allowing him to expose himself and then acting accordingly is the key to success. But, it is perhaps even more important to master the skill of winning without fighting. Sun's battle-proven strategies have been put into practice by countless leaders--from Mao Tse-tung to Napoleon to the planners of Operation Desert Storm. Filled with practical wisdom and strategy Art of War is an indispensable guide for anyone who want an edge over the competition. With powerful narration by George Guidall and Joe Mantegna, listeners are sure to be destined for greatness with this book.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateJul 8, 2004
    ISBN9781436100694
    Author

    Sun Tzu

    Sun Tzu, also known as Sun Wu or Sunzi, was an ancient Chinese military strategist believed to be the author of the acclaimed military text, The Art of War. Details about Sun Tzu’s background and life are uncertain, although he is believed to have lived c. 544-496 BCE. Through The Art of War, Sun Tzu’s theories and strategies have influenced military leaders and campaigns throughout time, including the samurai of ancient and early-modern Japan, and more recently Ho Chi Minh of the Viet Cong and American generals Norman Swarzkopf, Jr. and Colin Powell during the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s.

    More audiobooks from Sun Tzu

    Related to The Art of War

    Related audiobooks

    Small Business & Entrepreneurs For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Reviews

      Aug 28, 2018

      Reviews
      7 min read

    • Article

      A Nation’s Alibi

      Feb 25, 2020

      A Nation’s Alibi
      8 min read

    • Article

      Sun Tzu

      Feb 28, 2020

      Sun Tzu
      3 min read

    • Article

      Complex Napoleon

      Jul 14, 2020

      Complex Napoleon
      8 min read

    • Article

      The Iron Commander

      Jan 10, 2023

      The Iron Commander
      5 min read

    • Article

      Secrets Of The Samurai

      Jun 18, 2020

      Secrets Of The Samurai
      10 min read

    • Article

      Rise Of The Legion, Part II

      Jan 24, 2022

      By Frederik Vervaet Steiner Verlag, 2014 ISBN: 978-3515106306 Vervaet explores the principle of high command and prevailing auspices as central to the ideas of holding command and the waging of war during the Republic. The author offers interpretatio

      2 min read

    • Article

      Book Reviews

      Nov 18, 2022

      By John Russell ISBN: 978-1914059391 (Helion & Company, 2020) - £19.99 Histories that focus on the last couple of weeks of the war in Europe in the West are hard to find, so Theirs the Strife is a welcome addition. In this book, John Russell examine

      5 min read

    • Article

      What History Tells

      Nov 26, 2020

      The English version of the Chinese history book The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea has come off the press at just the right moment to mark the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People’s Volunteers’ (CPV) timely, active, justified and conse

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Darker Hour Yet

      Jul 25, 2023

      A Darker Hour Yet
      6 min read

    • Article

      War’s Endgame

      Apr 25, 2023

      War’s Endgame
      5 min read

    • Article

      LAW & ORDER

      May 17, 2022

      LAW & ORDER
      4 min read

    • Article

      Reviews

      Jun 8, 2021

      By Dr. Sean Manning ISBN: 978-3515127752 Franz Steiner Verlag (2021) - €74.00 www.steiner-verlag.de Sean Manning is on a mission. He has spent several years immersed in the military history of the Achaemenid Empire and this excellent, major contribut

      6 min read

    • Article

      Lessons And Legacies

      Feb 11, 2020

      Lessons And Legacies
      8 min read

    • Article

      Bomber Onslaught

      Apr 30, 2019

      Bomber Onslaught
      6 min read

    • Article

      Changing Faces In The Study Of Medieval Warfare

      Mar 1, 2022

      This framework of understanding, interesting and important in itself, told us very little about the conduct of war. It was massively weighted in favour of the Hundred Years’ War, but even then it focused on specific battles and great events. There wa

      4 min read

    • Article

      Conflict In Asia-pacific

      Apr 11, 2023

      Conflict In Asia-pacific
      3 min read

    • Article

      Age Of Legends

      Mar 21, 2024

      Age Of Legends
      11 min read

    • Article

      LEADERS & COMMANDERS

      Oct 26, 2023

      LEADERS & COMMANDERS
      5 min read

    • Article

      Becoming Rome

      Sep 4, 2018

      Becoming Rome
      6 min read

    • Article

      Eastern Enmities

      Feb 27, 2020

      Eastern Enmities
      5 min read

    • Article

      Tecumseh vs. Harrison

      Jan 23, 2024

      Tecumseh vs. Harrison
      9 min read

    • Article

      Book Reviews

      Jan 23, 2023

      One rarely thinks of the logistics involved in warfare, including how the hardware gets to the combatants. Arms merchants tend to be controversial, yet successful and flexible businessmen. Czechoslovak Arms Exports to the Middle East, Volume 1 is abo

      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Art of War

    4/5

    3,158 ratings76 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Tactics and strategies that apply to everyday life. This book is excellent reading to make you think about how to deal with the day to day struggles of life. It helps you position you versus your opponent. Your opponent need not be any one person. It could be a corporation. It could be an establishment. It could be a situation you are facing. I was once told that what you get out of a book is the effort you put into a book. It is my hope that this book can help someone master how they deal with day to day life. Let me know what you think. By the way, how many Enron or Worldcomm employees do you think read this book?

      On another note, I would ask that you do not take this book literally. It is laced with allegory and a ton of symbolism. Please take its contents and apply them to your life for the good of all.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      Vapid martial homilies.
    • 4/5
      A very quick read of a classic. I had always been meaning to get around to this book, and I did not realize how short it was. The version I have contains more commentary than the actual writing, and I did not bother with the commentary.

      The book is basically a series of maxims that describe how to lead as a general at war. I think its appeal is universal, and many of the ideas can be applied as strategic thinking in other aspects of life. I don't think it was all that profound, but then again, its ideas have been used for centuries. It was nice to be able to read where a lot of them came from.
    • 2/5
      This is a manual and reads like one. Better to take in very small doses, digest and discuss rather than to read continuously.
    • 2/5
      Pretty dull going, even by audiobook. The narrators were great, though, and there were times that the footnotes saved me.
    • 4/5
      A classic! Well worth the read, and looking forward to reading again in the future.
    • 5/5
      My favorite book and I love translation differences. I do prefer the Lionel Giles interpretation best but the differences is good to keep an open mind about.
    • 4/5
      I read the 1910 translation by Lionel Giles, available for free on the internet. This edition was complemented with notes offering commentary by a wide range of Chinese near-contemporaries who offered their examples, corollaries, etc. The translator added further illumination throughout which added considerably to what I gleaned. What Sun Tzu seems to offer is the codifying of common sense, but that's easy for me to say. He covers all of his bases thoroughly in his opening chapter, outlining categories of consideration and then throwing in a paragraph noting that other considerations may also come into play, every battle is different, etc. Cynically, I feel this makes it easier to take a stand as the ultimate authority: "The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it will conquer."Sun Tzu is silent on the topic of avoiding war altogether (notwithstanding his advice to conquer without combat), as if the first diplomacy he prefers to resort to is raising an army. He also hasn't much to say about keeping an army supplied, only its necessity. His advice is entirely practical, unconcerned with any concept resembling honour, eschewing pride as weakness. The only advice that puzzled me was his recommendation to face the sun; I thought you would want the sun to shine in your enemy's eyes. Everything points to his having been a man of experience, one who knew cost and consequence. I was more impressed as I read further, finding short precise sentences used to convey enormous meaning, and sometimes in multiple ways.
    • 4/5
      For my second reading I decided to try the audiobook version read by Aidan Gillen. His dynamics greatly improved my understanding and appreciation for the short work.
    • 4/5
      Interesting read that applies to different situations in life. I will definitely purchase a hard copy so I can make notes of passages I love and found useful in everyday life and experiences.
    • 3/5
      I admit to reading this out of curiosity - why did Dr. Melfi recommend Tony Soprano read this and how did he then apply it. Interesting reading but as I already knew, I would make a lousy general.
    • 5/5
      A wise warrior avoids the battle or something along these lines. The book is no literary wonder written simply as a series of bullet points. What makes it amazing is the fact that it was written before 2500 years & it is still relevant to our modern day. The set of rules outlined can be applied by any leader in any field.
      PS: of course the financial details associated with the armies can be safely discarded.
    • 3/5
      “Move not unless you see an advantage, use not your troops unless there is something to be gained, fight not unless the position is critical.”

      I read The Art of War by Sun Tzu through an app called Serial Reader, which breaks up longer books, novellas and short stories into manageable pieces that a reader can read in 12 minutes a day. I love to use Serial Reader when I’m waiting for the bus, in the line at the post office, whenever I feel like I have a few moments, but not necessarily long enough to take out a book and find my place.

      I also really like Serial Reader because I tend to read things I wouldn’t otherwise read, but so far I’ve really enjoyed all the stories and novels that I’ve read.

      I found The Art of War to be surprisingly readable, considering it was written around the 5th century, BCE and has been translated countless times since then. It’s much more philosophical than I had anticipated, and in a way, deeply spiritual.

      Of course it’s dry. It is. It is an ancient military self-help book, none of it is relevant to me. There are lots of lists about the different kinds of ground an army might fight on, different types of weather, how to traverse it all.

      And yet I found it interesting.

      I appreciated that this translator (and, I suppose, author) warned against fighting at all. If you want to occupy a town, best to get the enemy to surrender to you painlessly, so that the town is in tact and nothing is destroyed. Sun Tzu really speaks to the desperation of war, how the last thing anyone wants to do in a war is fight, but if you have to fight, this is what you need to do.

      I’m glad I read this text. I often found myself reading it and wondering about all the people, leaders, warriors, stay-at-home mothers who’d read it before, who were reading it with me. What did they learn from it? How did they feel reading it? Was it more relevant to their lives than it was to mine?

      That, in and of itself, is a fascinating thing to think about, don’t you think?
    • 4/5
      I have other versions of Sun Tzu's Art of War, and the first one I purchased in Italian was actually a new translation published by the Army publisher, as a Chinese officer part of an exchange programme saw that all the Italian versions at the time were actually... translations of translationsI have also read the Sawyer edition, among others, but I picked up this one in a library as it was the only one I saw so far that, beside the translation, included also a rewriting in ChineseInteresting series of books, as they republished classics from Chinese history following the same approach- so, I was curious to see the differences (on the English side- my abilities in Chinese will be enough to read in Chinese... in few years- in modern Chinese)
    • 4/5
      Defiantly some good tips in here. I can see why other countries armies are so well disciplined if they still use these tactics. Some of them could also work for dealing with people as well. Some handy things in here.

      It's easy to read, but he repeats things a lot, and some of the sentence are worded strangely. And then, some lines are written like poetry.

      It was a something different, and I'm glad I picked it up.
    • 4/5
      I'm so glad I finally read this historic book. I found it very interesting and understand why it has been adapted to suit other fields -- notably management. And the version of the book I bought is beautiful in itself. Bound in traditional Chinese style, with each page folded in half and only printed on the outside. Hard to rate -- it is what it is as they say -- but I'm rating it highly because it has stood the test of time.
    • 5/5
      An enduring classic, an absolute must-read for every business person and military mind the world over.
    • 3/5
      What a curious book. I listened to a reading of it and so my reading could scarcely be called more than an overview. This short book is definitely one to be read contemplatively and over a long time.
    • 5/5
      I have read this several times in a variety of translations. This version is formatted like a poem and is a quick read. Interesting that Sun Tzu echoes many of the issues raised by Thucydides. I remember an Instructor Gunnery during my Regimental Officers Basic Course from the United States artillery beginning every lesson with: "Sun Tzu says...". And, "If a 155 round lands on a tank, the tank is toast". So much in such a short book and it was quite possibly written before Thucydides was born.
    • 5/5
      Bought at the Upstart Crow bookstore & coffee house in San Diego in 1997.
    • 5/5
      I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book, to be honest. I just made a promise to myself I would read more classics and this was a short one to get in so I can reach my reading goal. However, I ended up really, really enjoying it. I'm not a soldier by any stretch of the imagination, but there is good, solid advice in this book that is still relevant thousands of years after it was written. It's worth a read for sure, and it's so short you can get through it quickly. I would recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.
    • 2/5
      During a sermon, the rabbi talked about this book and said that it was really a philosophy on how to live life. When I started reading it, I saw that it really is a book on how to wage war. Definitely not what I expected and definitely not a book I would ever want to read.
    • 4/5
      I read this and let my mind wander a little, but not too much. Invariably whatever I think about mixes with the words, and elegant, clear observations come out. It's like guided meditation.
    • 5/5
      The version I have also has a second section for commentaries on all the passages. It's an incredibly useful and insightful book, and not necessarily just for literal war.
    • 3/5
      Another translation (Ralph Sawyer) and lots of background history & hints of textual analysis - but fails to grab.Read July 2006
    • 5/5
      Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" is a great book.This ancient classic was written over 2,500 years ago by the legendary Chinese general Sun Tzu, being aa timeless masterpiece of interaction of power and politics this book teaches many good lessons to anyone who will ever have to command a group of people, in the workplace, in school, or on the battlefield.The Art of War is an ageless book that teaches human nature and how to deal with difficult situations in life and business.The lessons learned in this book can be allied to relationship, friendship, career and make you a more complete person in general. I I recommend this book to be read by all those who wants to succeed in anything they do, It is not just about lessons in war but can be used and applied for everyday life."The Art of War" is a must read.
    • 5/5
      Everyone should read this.

      It tells you as much about motivation and human compunction than any other book Ive ever read. This should be required reading for teachers, businessmen, cops, everyone that every has to deal with a group of people in a possibly hostile setting.
    • 4/5
      It's amazing that this advice is still quite relevant 2500 years after the fact. Some of it, of course, isn't, but that'll happen. The historical allusions in Giles' translation/commentary are pretty useful, though occasionally it gets really deep into Chinese history and you forget who you are and what you're reading. What dynasty are we in again?
    • 3/5
      The original book was interesting but the commentary portion of the book was insightful. I liked hearing perspective on Master Sun's work from other ancient military leaders.
    • 4/5
      Fascinating. My particular copy (an audiobook) included modern comparisons between each chapter which was horribly annoying. The observations in the book maintain their usefulness to the present.