<div>Ralph D. Sawyer is the preeminent scholar and translator on Sun-tzu's masterful work. More than 200,000 copies of his <i>Sun-tzu Art of War</i> and more than 55,000 copies of <i>The Complete Art of War</i> have been sold. The <i>Art of War</i> is the most famous study of strategy ever written and has had an extraordinary influence on the history of warfare. <i>The Essential Art of War</i> brings Sun-tzu's classic work to a new, uninitiated readership. This clear and compact volume presumes no prior knowledge of the subject and presents only the material that is essential to understanding this text. Using his best-selling <i>Art of War</i> translation as the centerpiece, Sawyer has re-approached every chapter to include an introduction and closing commentary that deliver the key concepts. An introduction to the volume on the relevance of Sun-tzu's teachings, a chronology, historical background on the translation itself, and a bibliographic essay are also included. <i>The Essential Art of War</i> is presented in an attractive 208-page hardcover volume with foiled jacket, stamped case, and ribbon marker, in a convenient gift size.</div>