Posted on 04/07/2008 10:25:41 AM PDT by Excellence
And Clausewitz and Moltke are pretty good...
The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China is on my bookshelf as well, and it is certainly what I would recommend.
My son too. I got him the translation by Thomas Cleary ... it's an illustrated edition. He seems to like it. Also look into "Axis and Allies" a board game by the peopl that make Risk ... it's like Risk on steroids. It's complicated but my 13-year old has been teaching his 6-year old brother. Also look into some books on game theory ... "The Mathematics of Games of Strategy" by Melvin Dresher ... puts math into game strategy. My son has been bored with math since 1st grade. He'll be finished all his AP math as a sophomore ... this has given him the incentive to not give up on math. It's great for people who love strategy.
I’ve got two copies including the Griffith edition and I can’t find the other one. I don’t know that there is much to choose between them. I think, however, if you get an edition that claims to be only the straight translation of the book, then you might miss some good information.
The Griffith edition gives some insights into the history of China that created the need for the Sun Tzu work as well as the background of the various authors who may have contributed to what is known as The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
He also gives some insight on the use that Mao made of the Sun Tzu strategic and tactical insights to war.
1 T'ai Kung's Six Secret Teachings
2 The Methods of the Ssu-ma
3 Sun-tzu's Art of War
4 Wu-tzu
5 Wei Liao-tzu
6 Three Strategies of Haung Shih-kung
7 Questions and Replies Between T'ang T'ai-tsung and Li Wei-kung
All chapters include the translator's introduction.
There are 5 Appendixes
A The Chariot
B The Horse and Cavalry
C Armor and Shield
D The Sword
E Military Organization
So if you're looking for strategy texts, this would encompass more than just the one. You can be sure our Chinese adversaries have read them all, and more.
Beat me to it.
Personally, I like James Clavell’s translation, but I can’t swear to it’s accuracy.
This one is free:
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/132
Something a little more modern might be of interest, too. This one was once a standard text at the Air Force’s Air War College.
http://www.jerrypournelle.com/sot/sot_intro.htm
He has had Axis and Allies, both board and PC editions, for years and has completely worn out the first board. Now he just lays a wall map on the floor. Thanks for the lead on the math book...another one of his weaknesses.
Thank you, those are quite useful.
And all for only $4.95!
I can only say that I thought reading The Art of War was like reading a fortune cookie - you can make it mean anything you want...
Give him this file, by Giles in 1910, well footnoted.
Giles was the guru for chinese translations at the beginning of the 20th century.
www.idph.com.br/conteudos/ebooks/suntzu10.pdf
Buy a couple editions. I like the commentary myself.
There are some other Art of War treatises out there by other oriental authors.
The trick for your son is to put it into perspective - Sun Tzu has great ideas, but not infallible.
Give him this file, by Giles in 1910, well footnoted.
Giles was the guru for chinese translations at the beginning of the 20th century.
www.idph.com.br/conteudos/ebooks/suntzu10.pdf
Bookstores also have a small (2”x3”) version that is very inexpensive and easily carried. The Sea Control Weapons School awarded them to the Weapons and Tactics Instructors upon graduation.
That's what mine has on the floor of his room, covered with soldiers and artillery. Best to your son and his dreams of going to Annapolis.
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