Written 2,500 years ago, Sun Tzu's The Art of War, has exerted an extraordinary influence on the world. People of all persuasions have found inspiration and sound, practical guidance here for activities requiring strategy, from sports and business affairs to affairs of the heart. They have been inspired to view the world in which they live and work as a network of combat zones, where the stakes are high, and struggle is the primary mode of being; where no one is to be trusted, and survival depends on unconditional victory. This edition, augmented by commentaries and anecdotal material, renders the text accessible, while maintaining the spare , near poetic tone of the original