It has been a long time since i read any non technical book. I was tempted to read this one for a long time so i did. It is a very strange book but also very inspirational.

First of all there is a lot of debate over the translation so each translator puts his own twist on how it should be interpreted. Second of all there is confusion who actually wrote the original text.

It is a very different read than anything i have read before. Interesting in a way but not really easy nor fun as text is much more difficult than i am used to. I thought the book would have more of psychological aspect and discipline than actual tips on how to deploy your troops. I hoped for a bit more philosophy and little bit less warfare ;-)

Leadership and inspiration

Sun Tzu Art Of War has some really great parts. Especially notes on discipline, determination and loyalty.

I have noted down some of them as i believe they are really inspirational:

• Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.
• Rapidity is the essence of war
• He who lets an advantage slip will subsequently bring upon himself real disaster.
• Overthrow the Governments, but do no harm to individuals.
• Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting.

Here are a few more that i liked (but not from Sun Tzu any more):

• If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. John Quincy Adams
• Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. George Patton
• What you cannot enforce / Do not command. Sophocles
• Arguing with a fool proves there are two. Doris M. Smith
• Let us believe neither half of the good people tell us of ourselves, nor half of the evil they say of others. J. Petit Senn
• There are two things to aim at in life; first to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind has achieved the second. Logan Pearsall Smith

I would recommend it as a curiosity-read.

Final score: 7/10