Sun Tzuβs ancient book of strategy and psychology has as much to tell us today as when it was first written 2,500 years ago. In a world forever at odds, his rules for anticipating the motivations and strategies of our competitors never cease to inspire leaders of all kinds.
Michael Nylan, in her provocative introduction, sees new and unexpected lessons to be learned from The Art of Warβin business ventures, relationships, games of skill, academic careers, and medical practices. Strategy, like conflict, is woven into societyβs very roots.
Nylanβs crisp translation βoffers a masterly new evaluation of this classic work, which balances the overtly military content with a profound and thought-provoking analysisβ (Olivia Milburn). Readers newly engaging with ancient Chinese culture will be inspired by Nylanβs authoritative voice. Informed by years of scholarly study, Nylan is uniquely placed to introduce readers to Sun Tzuβs classic work through her detailed annotations on culture and the intricacies of translating ancient Chinese into modern English. She proves that Sun Tzu is more relevant than ever, helping us navigate the conflicts we know and those we have yet to endure.
Michael Nylan is a professor of history at the University of California, Berkeley. Her work includes?The Art of War?and Chinaβs Early Empires with Michael Loewe,?Yang?Xiong?and the Pleasures of Reading and Classical Learning in China, The Five βConfucianβ Classics,?Lives of Confucius with Thomas A. Wilson, and several essays on feminism and Confucianism.