the place to buy : http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref...=UTF8&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=sun tzu and wich one do u recommand ? there are so much I m searching for the original translation.
I have this one ...has a lot of historical background information which puts everything into context. The actual translation is a fraction of the book (about 1/5th) and is largely based on the widely available Ming edition of the Sung Seven Military Classics edition. Very thorough. Wish I had bought hard cover version. I also bought this one a couple years ago which puts things into a business context. Subsequently gave it away. Probably not what you are after. MoMoney.
Thanks MoMoney for the reply ! so this one looks great i will wait for some additional reply and go for a buy !
Michael Douglas aka Gordon Gekko recommends it in "Wall Street" to his prodigy Charlie Sheen aka Bud Fox. The movie takes it cue from Insider scandals of the 80's as well as depicting some of the characters e.g. Sir Larry Wildman (after Sir Gordon White of Hanson PLC). Gordon Gecco (after Ivan Boesky who needs no introduction). Great movie, important book. Famous speech in the movie by Gecco "Greed is good" was inspired by the real speech by Boesky "Greed is all right by the way, I want you to know that greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself" The Art of War by Sun Tze is about the Art of Winning. Written over 2000 years ago in Chinese. Get a good translation if buying.
It is lots of concrete advise. It is about management of a crew, training, the realities of trying to accomplish something in a chaotic situation, it is about growing into a job rather than "learning" it, etc. I really recommend everybody take Japanese Sword lessons, as many as you need. Then read the book. I took some lessons in a Southern Chinese type of hand to hand, the book takes on real meaning after you get a certain level of expertise going and realize where the author is coming from. It was funny, my instructor and his instructor had 50 years of martial arts experience between them, great, great martial artists and they were bent on resurrecting the simplest styles from ancient times, and they did it. My instructor was a little guy, maybe 5'6. He made a studio in an old chicken coop in his yard and he started sword lessons. Right away we found out the ceiling was fine for him and a sword but we 6 footers could not operate!! We did not care, we went on to Tai Chi and things. It was so great because we were beta testing the work they were doing in resurrecting those simple effective styles. It was cool. We learned to act without thinking, without even seeing an attack coming actually. We could not take on these super strong guys in the tournaments maybe but we were satisfied with our knowledge. We were good for the streets. I had a pal that was always making fun of martial arts. One day I am walking down the hall at work, he sticks his finger in my back and says "I've got a gun". Before I could think I reached back and grabbed his gun hand and pulled him around me and sent him running down an intersecting hallway with his legs all wobbly. It was so natural and effortless. Even he got a kick out of it, it is good when we are making fun of something and then we get a pain-free lesson. There is a sort of a spiritual aspect to the Art of War, it is largely not really spiritual but it seems like it to the uninitiated, but it all fits into a practical framework. I work for a Mexican guy currently, he manages like he knew the Art of War inside out, he is not a martial arts guy at all but he is so cool to work for.
for those who don't know who is boesky : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Boesky maxpi : " it is about growing into a job rather than "learning" it, etc. " sound great ! And yeah sword course is fun ! When i was youger i wanted to do but there wasn't in my area... maybe yet thx for the reply