The Art of War by Sun Tzu Translated by Thomas Cleary

I read a small book on Kindle called The Art of War by Sun Tzu, translated by Thomas Cleary.

I heard about this book while reading The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene.

Some books may seem irrelevant when we read them for the first time. We have to use our discernment to find which aspects of our lives we can apply their lessons to. When we read them a second time, they can become excitingly relevant. This is one such book.

Think carefully: what does war mean to you, if you are not in the armed forces? Which part of your life requires you to wage a war?

Sun Tzu was a highly skilled military strategist. If someone with his expertise documented his learnings and, most importantly, perceived warfare as an ART, I believe the book is worth reading.

It's a small book and may take only a few hours to finish. My recommendation is to find a purpose for reading it and then read it again.

My perception:

Sometimes, we are stuck in life because the enemy is within us. We may need to wage a war against ourselves. As the book suggests, study the pros and cons, identify the weak points, and use your strengths strategically to overcome your inner enemy.

Some quotes from the book that I liked:

• "Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards."

• "So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak." Like water, take the line of least resistance.

• "Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing."

• "Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions." The five elements—water, fire, wood, metal, and earth—are not always equally predominant. The four seasons make way for each other in turn. There are short days and long days; the moon has its periods of waning and waxing.

• "Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt."

• "When you surround an army, leave an outlet free."

My rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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