The Art of War – Bookcast #20

The Superior Men Podcast

The Art of War (~500 B.C.) by Sun Tzu

The Art of War (Sunzi bingfa) is a 5th-century BC military treatise written by the Chinese strategist Sun-Tzu (aka Sunzi or Sun Wu). Covering all aspects of warfare, it seeks to advise commanders on how to prepare, mobilize, attack, defend, and treat the vanquished.

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"The Art of War" Show Notes

• What this book is about
  • Completely redefining war and the attributes a warrior and a general should have.
• What Sun Tzu sets out to do / Purpose of the book
  • Creating a new rulebook on war. Previously war had been for noblemen and was more of a game and show of wealth than anything.
• The intended audience of the book
  • Who will benefit most
    • Military historians
    • Strategy lovers
  • Who probably WON’T like “Art of War”
    • Hippies
    • Lovers of flowing, richly detailed stories.

5:30 - How easy is the book to read?

• Very easy reading wise
• Print: ~80 pages (90 minutes)
• Audiobook: 90 minutes

Free version of "The Art of War" available online

6:00 - Reviews and significance of "The Art of War"

• The most popular book on military tactics ever written
• Most popular Chinese book world wide

8:30 - Bio of Sun Tzu

• Sun Tzu was a military strategist, general and advisor
• Tzu came from the State of Qi and lived during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history (770 BC - 476 BC)
• This was a tumultuous time in Chinese history when different states battled for dominance
• An occupation that found much demand during this period of intense warfare and military innovation
• Sun Tzu fled the state of Qi before and invasion to the realm of the Wu. The Wu king appointed Sun Tzu as a general in his army
• After a victorious military career Sun Tzu had become a heroic figure to the Wu
• He then summarized his military experiences, which he had gained in the wars during the final phase of spring and autumn.
• Not more details about his life

12:00 - Major Themes of the Book

• Chapter 1: Laying Plans
• Chapter 2: Waging War
• Chapter 3: Attack by Strategy
• Chapter 4: Tactical Dispositions
• Chapter 5: Use of Energy
• Chapter 6: Weak Points and Strong
• Chapter 7: Maneuvering
• Chapter 8: Variation of Tactics
• Chapter 9: The Army on the Marc
• Chapter 10: Classification of Terrain
• Chapter 11: The Nine Situations
• Chapter 12: The Attack by Fire
• Chapter 13: The Use of Spies

16:30 - Jay's and Matt's Perspectives