Tony's Review of The Art of War

There are very few books I feel one must own, but The Art of War is one of them. If you do not have a copy, I urge you to get one. They are available in many forms and at no cost, that's how important I feel this book is. It will help you learn things about mistakes before they are made and can change your life and how you think. When it comes to business and leadership, this is the first book one should read, in my opinion.

It’s not a self-help book, and it’s very military in structure, but when one reads between the lines, you can see how it can apply to many aspects of life. It is usually a fast read, depending on the translation. I also suggest you read any notes that may come along with the one you choose.

One of the standout sections for me is on the use of spies. There is much about human psychology throughout the work, but here it shines. Warfare is as much in the mind as on the field in this book. Reading this over 2000-year-old book shows you how little we have changed as a species and how all our minds are prone to many of the same thinking errors. We are all human and have many of the same faults and flaws. This book shows how they lead to poor choices and how others can exploit them to your detriment. So, in reverse, the book is defensive, not offensive.

While reading it, do not allow a modern context to stand in the way of understanding it. Learn something about the time frame in which the book was written, as this will help ground you and enlighten your understanding.

A word of caution: do not allow this book to make you cynical. Read it with compassion for others. While the book is full of manipulation and ways to use others' worst faults against them, remember we must be better and see it as a way to understand ourselves and fellow humans better, not just to use them for our gain. When taken this way, this book will only make you wiser.