'Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting.'For more than two thousand years, Sun-Tzu?s The Art of War has provided military leaders with essential advice on battlefield tactics, managing troops and terrain, and employing cunning and deception. An elemental part of Chinese culture, it has also become a touchstone for the Western struggle for survival and success, whether in battle, in business, or in relationships.The first half of this edition presents the core text; the second half presents the same text with extensive running commentary from the canon of traditional Chinese commentators and others. With John Minford's crisp, accessible translation and lively, learned introduction, even readers already familiar with The Art of War will experience it anew, finding it more fascinating-and more chilling-than ever.'The strategic advice that [The Art of War] offers concerns much more than the conduct of war. It is an ancient book of prepvebial wisdom, a book of life.'- John Minford, from the IntroductionEdited and Translated with an Introduction by JOHN MINFORD