Book Review #8
Over the past week, I read a really old (estimated over 2500 years old) book that is often quoted by many authors and professionals around the world. This is a book I have always thought of reading but due to various mental blocks I never did.
"The Art of War" by Sun Tzu is certainly not a breeze but it was a reasonably quick read. The book was completely focused on war strategies and may be because of the translation or because of the bullet point style or may be due to my personal limitations, I personally wasn't impressed with the very cold style of writing. But I realized that the book is so timeless because at so many junctures, I was compelled to stop and reflect. There were lessons that are so relevant after so many years and in contexts completely unrelated to war and even applicable in modern life as well. So, like always, let me share my big takeaways (mostly verbatim from the book) and I certainly look forward to other takeaways from readers who have already read this book and have absorbed the lessons better
1. Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
2. The greatest victory is that which requires no battle. Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
3. Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
4. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
5. If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things.
6. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.
7. Regarding the enemy: When strong, avoid them. If of high morale, depress them. Seem humble to fill them with conceit. If at ease, exhaust them. If united, separate them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
8. All warfare is based on deception. Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.
9. There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare (can't stop thinking about the wars waged by US in recent history and Russia now)
10. Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.
#artofwar #suntzu #bookreview #strategy
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