zachlittrell 's review for:

The Art of War by Sun Tzu
4.0

Yeah, it's got some good stuff on strategy. But what's more fascinating to me is Sun Tzu's little commentaries. He's having a conversation with generals and princes that hints at failures and corruptions.

* Sieges are a terrible idea, guys.
* Superstition is a hokey way to conduct war. There are perfectly logical clues to follow instead of omens. Maybe the birds are in the sky...because there's enemies nearby.

And, maybe most importantly:

No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen

Hallelujah, Sun Tzu.

It would be nice if there was just a little more meat than a manual of tips and strategies. Something to tie this pretty darn timeless package with a better bow than "Treat spies well...bye!"