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I have decided to listen to the recording of this book while on my my long drives for work. I looked up some reviews and read some quotes. Sounds interesting enough for me to give it a try.

“if you fight with all your might, there is a chance of life; where as death is certain if you cling to your corner”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Required reading for me. I had my daughters read it too. It’s short but loaded.

Not a book I'd think about reading reviews on...

Judge for yourself; it made me think, a lot.

Honestly, its very similar to Proverbs, just at the human tier. I have read it once and need to read it again. Surprisingly short but very good as far as making you think. Also seems to have been a very early study of human psychology in warfare.

Also from my understanding it is still taught at West Point and other major military schools, though I cannot confirm that for sure (also not a veteran). That should speak to its resounding application in our modern world.

Also good to note, like all 'wisdom', it is applicable outside of the author's immediate example if you sit back and bring the context into a modern equivalency. See an example here on how to do that, specifically Section II:

II. Interpretative Questions
Our discussion of a historically informed and textually-focused methodology will revolve around seven interpretive questions which one must ask in the study of every Scriptural context.
1. What did the original author say? (textual criticism)
2. What did the original author mean? (exegesis)
3. What did the original author say elsewhere on the same subject? (parallel passages)
4. What do other biblical authors say on the same subject? (parallel passages)
5. How did the original hearers understand the message and respond to it? (historical application)
6. How does this truth apply to my day? (modern application)
7. How does this truth apply to my life? (personal application)]

The Contextual Method Of Biblical Interpretation


Translated into a secular work (like The Art of War):

II. Interpretative Questions
Our discussion of a historically informed and textually-focused methodology will revolve around seven interpretive questions which one must ask in the study of every other-cultural context.
1. What did the original author say? (textual criticism)
2. What did the original author mean? (exegesis)
3. What did the original author say elsewhere on the same subject? (parallel passages)
4. What do other authors from the same era and culture say on the same subject? (parallel passages)
5. How did the original hearers understand the message and respond to it? (historical application)
6. How does this truth apply to my day? (modern application)
7. How does this truth apply to my life? (personal application)]

Additionally, one can apply this to concealed carrying or much smaller (IE 1 v 1 or even 1 v 5) conflicts rather than full scale war.

Worth the read (and re-read).