What Are The Best Editions Of The Art Of War Books?

Question

Seeking an art of war edition that includes historical context for a deeper military strategy understanding. Which translations help appreciate the tactics most?

Carolyn Sharkey · Answer

Classic texts like this are typically found in many different versions, so the best one for you will depend on your goals. If studying a very clear and accurate translation is your aim, the Denma Group edition or a Thomas Cleary edition would be very good choices. Many modern readers enjoy seeing strategies from classics like this applied in fiction, which can make the themes of a work much more visceral. For example, in the novel No. 1 Supreme Warrior, the main character’s rise to power is a straightforward power progression story that is made to happen through the main character’s use of his strategic genius to outmaneuver more powerful opponents using planning and deception. This creates the chance for many exciting and quick-moving tactical gambits to be played in the story.

Theo · Answer

A book of such timeless wisdom as “The Art of War” attracts many editions, and I have several of them, including some that I especially treasure. The Lionel Giles translation of “The Art of War” is a classic. Beautifully rendered, it is the translation of choice for the scholar, especially one looking for a lot of background information and notes. A more modern translation that I highly recommend is that by Thomas Cleary. He has managed to render “The Art of War” in a manner that is extremely accessible to the modem reader, while retaining all of the essence of the work. For the person who likes a lot of illustrations, “The Illustrated Art of War” by Samuel Griffith is also recommended. The artwork is superb, and Griffith’s comments on the various chapters are extremely perceptive. Each of these editions has its own strengths: depth, readability, and aesthetic appeal.

Violet · Answer

I can appreciate how “The Art of War” can be a very diverse book, and there are many versions. As for myself, my preferred version is the Samuel Griffith translation of “The Art of War”. The version is very historical accurate and yet, simultaneously it is written in simple language and is a good ‘middle ground’ for people that need to learn a lot of information and are perhaps not used to academia but are keen to understand and learn all about “The Art of War”.

For a more modern interpretation, I prefer the James Clavell version of “The Art of War”. The book read really fast and it presented the ways in which Sun Tzu presented his strategies for winning wars to get the most out of reading for people who are very busy and work in competitive fields. It also had very straightforward, easy to apply commentary to each part of the book.

The “Deluxe Hardbound Edition” by Rockridge Press makes a beautiful addition to any bookshelf, as the ‘book’ is also a very beautiful ‘present’ to give to anyone. In all seriousness, whether you are a strategist at heart or someone just seeking time-honoured wisdom, there’s a version of “The Art of War” for you.

Samuel · Answer

I found it very interesting to read the different versions of ‘The Art of War’. While the Lionel Giles translation is, in many academic circles, the ‘definitive’ version for historians and academics to read, it is a very dense work. The footnotes to the Giles version are comprehensive and provide wonderful background information to the text as it was originally written in Chinese.

The other end of the spectrum is Thomas Cleary’s translation. The commentary on other Chinese military strategists is also interesting to read. He translates ‘The Art of War’ for the average reader who wants to read about the basic principles of war and how to apply them.

For a completely modern interpretation of ‘The Art of War’ I have enjoyed the ‘Graphic Adaptation’ of Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’ by Pete Katz and illustrated by Sean Michael Wilson. The Graphic Adaptation of ‘The Art of War’ has been a really enjoyable read and is perfect for the younger reader or someone looking to read ‘The Art of War’ in a more unique format. It also brings out some of the subtext to the work by Sun Tzu. Another enjoyable read on applying the principles of Sun Tzu to business was ‘The Art of War for Executives’ by Donald G. Krause.

Each of these many editions of The Art of War has its own value and its purpose. Choosing the best for you will depend upon your objectives reading this very old book.

Intan S Durand · Answer

I have always rather liked the Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classics edition of Laozi’s Lao Tzu Tao Te Ching translated by Alan W. Bennet, Giles. A very nice edition of the old translation made into a gorgeous gilt edge illustrated book with a ribbon bookmark. It’s not the most scholarly edition of the book, but a nice way to present it as a classic of all time. Such editions are good for leaving about on a table or adding to a permanent library of favorites, as they are simply beautiful objects. The short introduction is OK, with comments from the Chinese commentators. But really, the way that such a nice edition of a profound book is read is as a slow ritual with the book as object, not just read as words on a page. A nice edition of this sort of book is perhaps the best for gifting, or for adding to one’s own collection of permanent favorites.

Nessa Hasna · Answer

I quite like the Shambhala Pocket Classics edition of this book. It is very small, exquisitely designed, and translated by Thomas Cleary. It fits in the pocket of a jacket, and so is a strategic work, read in bite-sized bits of time, ideal for dipping into between other activities. The paper is pleasant, the binding solid for the book’s size, and the overall design timeless and minimalist. This is not a book to read with annotations to other works, but rather one to read the work itself. A lovely book to give as a present, or even better to buy for someone who appreciates very tactile and very well made objects. It recognizes that there are times when all one wants to read is a work of strategic wisdom presented in a respectful and physically elegant manner, without too much academic apparatus.

Marcella Jupining · Answer

I use Samuel B. Griffith’s edition of The Art of War in teaching a module on comparative strategy. I need Griffith’s footnotes and Griffith’s introduction. Without that historical background material, The Art of War is merely a collection of clever sayings, mostly useless to the student. For instance, Griffith explains why Sunzi advised ‘do not besiege walled cities’ and he explains what ‘the nine varieties of ground’ refers to. Thus Griffith’s version of The Art of War is history plus strategy. It is the text for those who are reading The Art of War to learn history as well as strategy. Griffith’s edition is by far the best at answering the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ of The Art of War.

Troy Parsons · Answer

I've also looked into the various audio drama versions of the text. Some of them are really well done and fully acted out with sound effects, etc. Others are more like radio plays of historical battles described by the principles of the Art of War, which can be incredibly cheesy but somehow brilliant. Hearing the sounds of a big battle fading into the background as the narrator droning on and on with some long-winded quote like, "Thus the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him," really makes one understand the profundity of the quote. However, I wouldn't call it the 'best' edition, as the best edition would be one that really makes you appreciate the original text even more than before. This audio drama does turn the text into a totally unique sensory experience, though. Occasionally, a totally different medium can help to unlock comprehension of paragraphs of commentary. For instance, this dramatic audio could possibly be what locks in a certain concept for good for some people.

Alwi Barakone · Answer

Why do people always talk about the “hardcover academic edition” of books? The best edition of The Art of War that I have encountered is a tattered, coverless paperback which I found in a hostel in Thailand. It had been underlined in three languages by someone, and there were margin notes which were apparently written in a dialectical debate with Sun Tzu. The owner of the book had even taped in newspaper articles about local politics. It was a living, breathing object. As opposed to a “best edition” which would depend on the publisher or translator, the value of any complete edition of The Art of War is to be read and then passed on to someone else with the stipulation that they read it and then argue with it in the margins. The value of such a book increases exponentially as it is handed from person to person becoming a shared object of contemplation. A collector’s edition of The Art of War (hardcover, untouchable, etc) is the worst possible edition of the book. It is the coffee-stained, scribbled-in, argued-over version of The Art of War that is the best.

LotusLeny11 · Answer

This brings us to the question of the audiobook. I mentioned the reading by Aidan Gillen, but there’s also a full cast version which runs through historical examples. This is a documentary-style production which can be quite engaging, but often feels overly produced with lots of swelling music and dramatic sound effects. Depending on your tastes, this can help to immerse you in the world of the book, but it can also take away from the text itself. As with many historical non-fiction audiobooks, there are often several narrators to choose from. I find the huge amount of historical non-fiction read by Ralph Lister to be excellent – he has a clear, calm and authoritative voice that lets you know you’re in good hands. He’s a seasoned professor-type and reads at a great pace to allow for the densest of material. Listen to samples of different narrators to find one whose voice in your ear will faithfully convey the tone of the book –.sinister, scholarly or dramatic, for example.

What Are The Best Editions Of The Art Of War Books?

10 Answers

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