Book Description
Zen meditation master and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh offers his practical teachings about how to bring love and mindful awareness into our daily experience. These rare moments were recorded during a family meditation retreat. Kind - purposeful - illuminating - here is an abundant treasure of traditional gathas (teachings) that unify meditation practice with the challenges we face in today's world. Enhanced features include traditional Vietnamese music performed by the monks and nuns of Plum Village, a meditation practice from Thich Nhat Hanh's Mindful Movements video, and an interview with the author.
Customer Reviews:
Great item - beware download.......2007-03-21
As a Thich Nhat Hanh fan, (tough to say!), this item is a nice addition to my collection of print and audio. For those of you who are tempted to download the audio, be aware that it comes from an Amazon partner, [...] I discovered too late (my bad) that their proprietary DRM software doesn't support my particular mp3 device, a Sansa e250. So I'm going to wind up buying it twice.
Audio tour of this idea: present moment, wonderful moment. .......2007-01-11
I have been listening to this tape for years, not as a guided meditation, but more as a reminder of strong, important, simple ideas that are easy to forget.
Thich Nhat Hanh has published many books and tapes. This audio CD stands out because in its several hours it covers all the major bases of Zen thinking and practice. When you have listened to it you will have all you need to begin a meditation practice, to understand some basics of Zen or EuroAmerican Buddhism, or advance your existing meditation practice.
The CD includes comments on the importance of being fully present in the moment. ("Present moment, wonderful moment") It goes on to teach a basic but very useful guided meditation, with explanations of each step, so that it is easy to learn and understand. For example, one part has you saying to yourself silently on your in-breath, "breathing in I am aware of a tree," and on the out-breath, "breathing out, I smile to the tree." The words alone don't sound like much, but after hearing the comments, it becomes powerful. The author explains that the tree can be a symbol for all the resouces that are outside my body, that are readily available for me. If there is a tree, he says, there have to be sun, rain, and earth, for example, or else there would be no tree. This thought can be calming as we encounter daily anxieties and sometimes feel that we are not getting enough of what we need: we can look on a tree and remember that the earth has all we need that is important. Enough food, enough air, etc. Breathing in I am aware of a tree, breathing out I smile to the tree.
He also uses this idea to advance the ideas of interbeing and impermanence, but I'll let you find out about those when hearing the CD!
Please don't hesitate to e-mail me with any questions.
Old Wisdom in a New Format.......2007-01-09
Very practical advise & also very creative. I've listened & read quite a few self help books but this is very unique - I loved it! Not heavy handed or preachy - Thich Nhat Hanh's compassion comes through along with his giggle.
mindful.......2006-10-29
Thich Nhat Hanh has taught me and my family to be totally present and mindful in everything we do. This title and many others from Thich Nhat Hanh, have changed our family into a unit of knit together by love and mindfulness.
Wisdom with Humor.......2006-08-03
I received this as a gift and have listened to it 3 times, and each time I find more gems of wisdom and compassion. Hanh is a very gentls soul who gives many tips and insights for the ups and downs of life's journey. Highly recommended.
Book Description
On War is the most significant attempt in Western history to understand war, both in its internal dynamics and as an instrument of policy. Since the work's first appearance in 1832, it has been read throughout the world, and has stimulated generations of soldiers, statesmen, and intellectuals.
Download Description
Two motives lead men to War: instinctive hostility and hostile intention. In our definition of War, we have chosen as its characteristic the latter of these elements, because it is the most general. It is impossible to conceive the passion of hatred of the wildest description, bordering on mere instinct, without combining with it the idea of a hostile intention. On the other hand, hostile intentions may often exist without being accompanied by any, or at all events by any extreme, hostility of feeling. Amongst savages views emanating from the feelings, amongst civilised nations those emanating from the understanding, have the predominance; but this difference arises from attendant circumstances, existing institutions, &c., and, therefore, is not to be found necessarily in all cases, although it prevails in the majority. In short, even the most civilised nations may burn with passionate hatred of each other. Please Note: This book is easy to read in true text, not scanned images that can sometimes be difficult to decipher. The Microsoft eBook has a contents page linked to the chapter headings for easy navigation. The Adobe eBook has bookmarks at chapter headings and is printable up to two full copies per year. Both versions are text searchable.
Customer Reviews:
The Rapoport introduction ruined it for me.......2007-02-23
There is a reason that this is a classic. If I'm a teacher at a war college like
West Point , I can assign chapters
and test the students on the understanding of the material.
It is more in the western form of learning than Sun Tzu's classic.
Where does it fail?
Even at this time the "staff" type running of war
that defeated Napoleon was being used by joint European powers.
The running of a war has come to be viewed as like that of an effective business.
You even need a legal staff to deal with civilian complaints.
The modern mathematical approaches of games theory ( Rapoport ) for tactics and
systems theory ( Asimov ) for long range strategy are what spoil this book for me.
War as an object of nationalistic policy has been destroyed by science in our time.
The terrorists have tried to breath new life into the ancient war of faith
by killing their own people at a greater rate than they do the enemy.
Logistically that approach is destined to failure:
you just run out of soldiers fool enough to die for their god.
Carl von Clausewitz was sold on "genius" as the answer to war problems.
I think accounting ability may be as important.
An unwieldy translation.......2006-11-20
In a nutshell: Don't waste your money on this version.
The original version of this translation dates to just after the turn of the century, but the introduction and further editing by Anatol Rapaport (a biologist and a musician, not a political scientist or historian), make this a clumsy read at best and downright misleading at worst.
Rapaport, for being an editor of Clausewitz, was not a believer in the trinitarian system (primordial violence, non-rational actions, and rationality)- probably not a good choice for a work which owes as much as it does to the first and second Trinities (army, people, and government).
If this is the only one you can get, then live with it. The first chance you get, get the much clearer, much more straightforward Paret/Howard translation, which is the one that's actually taught at most service schools as well as in universities in their courses that use it.
A few translation suggestions.......2006-09-27
A few years ago, I translated the crucial first chapter of On War's first book from German into Portuguese. The results were then discussed vis-à-vis the Paret/Howard English version in our post-graduate program. Back then, I wrote a few additional comments in English about nuances of the Paret/Howard text [otherwise, very good], which - so I believed - seemed to dilute the depth of Clausewitz' exposition at key spots. These brief comments follow below, as I still believe they can be of some interest, particularly to those who meditate the relation between war and politics, and as they touch the very heart of Clausewitz unsurpassed insight into the nature of bellic conflict.
The first sentence is the Paret/Howard quotation; the second is the original German; and the third is how I would suggest it in English.
Title 26
* All Wars Can Be Considered Acts of Policy
** Sie koennen alle als politische Handlungen betrachtet werden
*** They [the wars of the previous paragraph] can all be approached as political actions.
§ 2
* If the state is thought of as a person, and policy as the product of its brain, then among the contingencies for which the state must be prepared is a war in which every element calls for policy to be eclipsed by violence. Only if politics is regarded not as resulting from a just appreciation of affairs, but - as it conventionally is - as cautious, devious, even dishonest, shying away from force, could the second type of war appear to be more `political' than the first.
** denn betrachtet man die Politik wie die Intelligenz des personifizierten Staates, so muss unter allen Konstellationen, die ihr Kalkuel aufzufassen hat, doch auch diejenige begriffen sein koennen, wo die Natur aller Verhaeltnisse einen Krieg der ersten Art bedingt. Nur insofern man unter Politik nicht eine allgemeine Einsicht, sondern der `konventionellen' Begriff einer der Gewalt abgewendeten, behutsamen, verschlagenen, auch unredlichen Klugheit versteht, koennte die letzte Art des Krieges ihr mehr angehoeren als die erstere.
*** for if one approaches politics as the intelligence of the personified state, so it ought to be possible, among all constellations that its [the personified state's] calculus must consider, to understand those [constellations] in which the nature of all relationships also determines a war of the first kind. Only if one understands politics in the conventional [depreciative italics] view - as a violence-averse, cautious, devious, and even dishonest cunning - and not as a generic discernment; only then could the last kind of war belong more to politics than the first.
§ 3
*First, therefore, it is clear that war should never be thought of as something autonomous but always as an instrument of policy; otherwise the entire history of war would contradict us. Only this approach will enable us to penetrate the problem intelligently.
** Wir sehen erstens: dass wir uns den Krieg unter allen Umstaende als kein selbstaendiges Ding, sondern als ein politisches Instrument zu denken haben; und nur mit dieser Vorstellungsart ist es moeglich, nicht mit den saemtlichen Kriegsgeschichte in Widerspruch zu geraten. Sie allein schliesst das grosse Buch zu verstaendiger Einsicht auf.
*** First, therefore, we see that we ought always to think of war as a political instrument, and by no means as an autonomous thing. And only with this kind of conception we will not contradict the entire history of war. It [this kind of conception] alone [my italics] opens the great book of proper understanding.
101 § 1
* ... a paradoxical trinity...
** ... eine wunderliche Dreifaltigkeit...
*** ... an amazing trinity...
§2
* The first of these three aspects mainly concerns the people; the second the commander and his army; the third the government.
** Die erste dieser drei Seiten ist mehr dem Volke, die zweite mehr dem Feldherrn und seinem Heer, die dritte mehr der Regierung zugewendet.
*** The first of these three dimensions is directed more to the people; the second, more to the commander and his army; the third, more to the government.
§3
* These three tendencies are like three different codes of law, deep-rooted in their subject and yet variable in their relationship to one another.
** Diese drei Tendenzen, die als ebenso viele verschiedene Gesetzgebungen erscheinen, sind tief in der Natur des Gegenstandes gegruendet und zugleich von veraendlicher Groesse.
*** These three tendencies, which appear just like many different codes of law, have their foundation laid deep in the nature of the object and, at the same time, may acquire variable magnitudes.
My final suggestion is that the name of Clausewitz' book in English should be "Of War", instead of "On War". This is not only a picky nuance: there is a wide and deep gulf between "Of" (`Von', `De') and "On" (`Über', `Super'), a gulf which has been overlooked even by the best philosophers - but not by Clausewitz in his title. Everyday language makes us used to mistakes such as "speak on something", "reflect on something", and truly, these things do not happen. We speak something, meditate/mediate a thought. Clausewitz speaks of war, and certainly not ON war; Jomini speaks on war: he is actually sitting ontop of it, and, really, knows too little to speak OF it.
Would-Be-Commanders Should Buy Other Books.......2006-09-18
If you are going into politics this book is for you. It is very abstract and rambles on for thousands of words in order to get to a single point.
If you are like me I read it, hoping to find great ideas about strategy, and how to best understand ways for armies to maneuver and defeat an enemy. Clauswitz, however, really did not fulfill my needs.
After reading other books titled "The Art of War" there are two that are better than Clauswitz, regarding operational strategy. Baron Antoine Henri de Jomini's "The Art of War," and Sun Tzu's "The Art of War." These go straight to the point. Jomini's was written in the same era of Clauswitz. Like Clauswitz it discusses the principles and lessons of the wars of Frederick the Great and Napoleon. Unlike Clauswitz, Jomini discusses how commanders can best use specific strategies in battles, like flank attacks, the oblique order, convex order, etc.--Fun Stuff!
Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" is like reading Psalms (only with military themes)--it is most concise; with fewer words each passage inspires one's mind with creativity in understanding important principles of strategy (there was not much space anyway on bamboo for ancient Chinese philosophers to write long treatises, like that of Clauswitz!)
Much of the philosophies of Clauswitz are viable, but there is a foolish one that I must give criticism to. It is well known in military studies that the generals of World War I studied this book extensively. In "On War," Chapter XI, the author states, "Let us not hear of Generals who conquer without bloodshed. If a bloody slaughter is a horrible sight, then it is a ground for paying more respect for war...." World War I commanders must have really taken this to heart, because the Western Front must have been the most wasteful and unproductive meat grinder in the history of warfare. For example, Falkenhayn wanted to bleed the French white in the Battle of Verdun. He got his wish--a total of a million people died. What positive result did it get anyone? NOTHING! (I guess you can say there WAS more respect for the horrors of war, but what good did that do for millions of families which lost loved ones!) This Clauswitzian theme for bloodshed proved moot when in World War II armies followed a different theme: fight with as little casualties as possible.
Its the ECONOMICS, stupid !!.......2006-09-09
-Everyone expressing a erudite opinion about Clausewitz or "ON WAR" has completely missed the point here.
-The question is NOT whether Clausewitz or "On War" is an essential read for everyone interested in military hsitory or military affairs. THAT is a moot piont to the Nth Degree.
-The REAL question IS - WHY would you pay $595.oo for a book that has the same identical information as another book for $30.oo ?!?!?!?
-That is the ONLY question regarding THIS particular version of "ON WAR".
-Its the ECONOMICS, stupid !!
Amazon.com
"Our innate idiosyncrasies are actually more endearing to others than our most glorious personal achievements," writes author Veronique Vienne in this pretty little book, with its intriguing, sepia-tone photographs by Erica Lennard. Vienne offers 10 meditative essays about how to be successful and happy without being perfect. Quirkiness, after all, is creative. She encourages you to "find solace in your shortcomings and even celebrate your most embarrassing lapses." The essays include "the art of making mistakes," "the art of looking like yourself," "the art of having nothing to wear," and "the art of being neither rich nor famous." Vienne envisions a world where people could bump into furniture and forget to return phone calls "without getting unduly annoyed with themselves," never consult shopping lists at the checkout counter, and "only carry bags you could use as pillows." This is a delightful book, but there's a major problem: anyone over 40 will have trouble reading it. The small, brown type on gray pages is artsy to the point of being barely legible, even with reading glasses. Buy this for a youthful reader! --Joan Price
Book Description
Forgive yourself:
Self-acceptance doesn't have to be hard work. Cultivate your most pleasurable flaws. Find out when not to have the last word. Don't be afraid to ask silly questions. Learn to make lists--and forget them. And remember: The most perfect moments usually happen at the most imperfect time.
Customer Reviews:
a must have.......2003-06-12
I received this book as a shower gift for the birth of my third child from an aunt who has 5 children herself. In it, she wrote: "Imperfection is the most you can strive for, Insanity is what you try to avoid." Having 2 little ones in diapers and cribs at the same time I now know what she means. I loved this book because it make me feel like it was okay to not only be myself, but to celebrate it and enjoy it.
This book is ok but imperfect.......2003-03-09
I got this book looking for some occasional inspiration on self acceptance. While there's some value in the essays, quite a bit of the text is rather inane. A fairly substantial portion of the essays are geared toward women, a fact not mentioned on the cover of the introduction. On the other hand, the photos are really quite interesting.
Retail selling price is a bit high for a 96-page book.
Still, it's perfectly acceptable as a coffee table book and worth purchasing if you can get it at a discount.
Blah, blah, blah...........2002-06-18
I was really disappointed with this book - I purchased it with the notion in my head that I would be receiving something enjoyable, relaxing, perhaps even inspirational. I received none of the aforementioned. Dull - perhaps a better word. At times, goofy and just plain boring. This book is a real dud.
A simple and elegant book........2002-01-26
I found this book to be a delightful surprise. After a lifetime of frustration in search of perfection from myself and everything and everyone else around me I realized that could be much happier if I just listened to the philosophies of this writer and just let it go. This is a very pretty and comforting book and one that I intend to keep on the bedside table in case I need a gentle reminder. I would buy all Veronique Vienne's books.
Absolutely Gorgeous!.......2001-02-19
I loved this book, like the other Veronique Vienne books! In a time and culture that makes you feel like you have to be everything to everyone, and look good in the process, this makes you want to be yourself and remember that people don't like perfect people anyway!! They like people who are like themselves!! Don't you love hearing from other people, "oh my gosh!! i do that too!! i thought i was the only one who does that!!" its about quirks (and how beautiful it makes us as an individual) how imperfections make you unique, and that we should have a sense of humor about it... cause no one is perfect, and the most interesting people to me are the most "imperfect." Now if you will excuse me, i have to go watch threes company on nick at nite.. (see? i watch it too!) :) PS... the pictures in the book are amazing as well and really adds something to it.
Average customer rating:
- The Oldest Treatise on Game Theory
- A well thought out treatise, all in a little book
- The Optimistic Jew
- Required reading at many military colleges around the world
- Human Nature
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The Art of War
Sun Tzu
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ASIN: 0385292163
Release Date: 1983-03-10 |
Amazon.com
The Art of War is the Swiss army knife of military theory--pop out a different tool for any situation. Folded into this small package are compact views on resourcefulness, momentum, cunning, the profit motive, flexibility, integrity, secrecy, speed, positioning, surprise, deception, manipulation, responsibility, and practicality. Thomas Cleary's translation keeps the package tight, with crisp language and short sections. Commentaries from the Chinese tradition trail Sun-tzu's words, elaborating and picking up on puzzling lines. Take the solitary passage: "Do not eat food for their soldiers." Elsewhere, Sun-tzu has told us to plunder the enemy's stores, but now we're not supposed to eat the food? The Tang dynasty commentator Du Mu solves the puzzle nicely, "If the enemy suddenly abandons their food supplies, they should be tested first before eating, lest they be poisoned." Most passages, however, are the pinnacle of succinct clarity: "Lure them in with the prospect of gain, take them by confusion" or "Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability is in the opponent." Sun-tzu's maxims are widely applicable beyond the military because they speak directly to the exigencies of survival. Your new tools will serve you well, but don't flaunt them. Remember Sun-tzu's advice: "Though effective, appear to be ineffective." --Brian Bruya
Book Description
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle....
These are the words of ancient Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, whose now-classic treatise,
The Art of War, was written more than 2,500 years ago. Originally a text for victory on the battlefield, the book has vastly transcended its original purpose.
Here is a seminal work on the philosophy of successful leadership that is as applicable to contemporary business as it is to war. Today many leading American business schools use the text as required reading for aspiring managers, and even Oliver Stone's award-winning film Wall Street cites
The Art of War as a guide to those who strive for success.
Now acclaimed novelist James Clavell, for whom Sun Tzu's writing has been an inspiration, gives us a newly edited
Art of War. Author of the best-selling Asian saga consisting of
Shogun,
Tai-Pan,
Gai-jin,
King Rat,
Noble House, and
Whirlwind, Clavell first heard about Sun Tzu in Hong Kong in 1977, and since then
The Art Of War has been his constant companion--he refers to it frequently in
Noble House. He has taken a 1910 translation of the book and clarified it for the contemporary reader. This new edition of
The Art Of War is an extraordinary book made even more relevant by an extraordinary editor.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Download Description
Sun Tzu's classic treatise on the art of warfare
Customer Reviews:
The Oldest Treatise on Game Theory.......2007-09-30
There are many translations of this work which has long been in the public domain. This is the popular translation by Lionel Giles made even more popular by the introduction from the best-selling author of Japan epics, James Clavell. It contains Giles' commentary along with the translation. The annotations give historical examples of the strategies in action.
Game theory is calculated strategy. The Art of War by Sun Tzu is probably the oldest and most important book on game theory ever written. It is the culmination of the development of the best warfare tactics prior to the 5th century BC. It is considered the foundation for all military plans and is still used to this day. It is most popular for its ability to win wars without fighting one. Its application has shaped the world as we know it.
The Art of War can be understood as a breakdown of the chaos of warfare into components that can be analyzed and understood. The tactics are mostly about controlled organization, recognizing environments and situations and the correct response to each one. Organization is subject to change in competition. The Art of War is essentially the strategy of responding to changing environments. Response is thus relative to evolving conditions.
1 - "Laying Plans"
The core message of this chapter is to calculate as much as possible before committing yourself. Important themes include discipline, ethics, environmental conditions and assessing the competition. It's about setting up the mission and evaluating the competition.
2 - "Waging War"
The important detail of this chapter is to win as quickly and as economically as possible. Prolonged struggle means wasting resources and undermining confidence. When winning, use the spoils as rewards and capital. It's about making war pay.
3 - "Attack by Stratagem"
This chapter is about deployment of the previous two chapters. The central message is to know thyself and know thy enemy. This stage indicates problems such as sieges, bad management and interior anarchy or legal/government interference. Advantages such as good management, exploiting opportunities and attacking tactics are covered. Strength is about cohesiveness and is independent of size.
4 - "Tactical Dispositions"
This one stresses putting yourself in a position where you cannot be defeated and waiting for the opportunity to defeat the enemy. It is about recognizing the breaks and taking them as opposed to creating the breaks.
5 - "Energy"
This part focuses on the power of deception to lull the enemy into a false sense of security and the use of spies to learn the enemy's moves. It also stresses the need to evolve in battle. It's about building up war capability.
6 - "Weak Points and Strong"
This chapter encapsulates all the previous five chapters into an advanced war strategy producing outcomes, calculating and responding to events as they unfold. The strategies are developed here. It is about creating breaks.
7 - "Maneuvering"
This deals with managing units and the internal problems they face on top of how to respond during movement to various circumstances. It is a chapter based on types of situations and responses.
8 - "Variation of tactics"
This section expands on the evolution of tactics and strategies based on situations and responses but concentrates on what causes failure.
9 - "The Army on the March"
This is advanced maneuvering especially across long distances with different terrains and how to deal with encounters. It is about interpretation.
10 - "Terrain"
This describes the various terrains that an army can encounter and when and how to occupy them. It talks about distances, potential dangers and obstructions. Positioning is important.
11 - "The Nine Situations"
This piece explains the condition of each terrain in terms of its tactical advantages and disadvantages and how to deal with both. It is a very intensive chapter because of the number of complex conditions dealt with.
12 - "The Attack by Fire"
Arson in war is probably the single most troubling weapon that an army could have inflicted on the enemy around 500 BC. This chapter is obviously based on the most advanced weapons of the time which have since been developed. It is about using the principle of creating disorder and chaos to win.
13 - "The Use of Spies"
Without spies don't war. War is won based on foreknowledge not by calculation but by direct information about the plans of the other side from spies. Spies are managed in this chapter.
Even though the work is quite short (about 100 pages or less with commentary) it is complex enough to warrant several readings. It is the equivalent to learning how to play advanced chess, a game which compliments this study. There is a lifetime of thought within the pages. Napoleon was said to have used it and lost when he didn't follow it.
The Art of War has become one of the most important self help books of this century popularized in big business as many executives have had recourse to this material because it offers a sound winning strategy. Most readers come away believing that the book's message finds it adaptable to many environments because it is all about adjusting to variations and so can be applied to anything and everything.
The Art of War is not supposed to be an exciting read. It is a strategy book, a step by step guide to how battles are won and why they are lost. It is more to be memorized as a set of responses, including when not to respond, than to be understood. The combinations of the responses are unlimited. There is enough on the plate without asking why. Understanding why would come later and the answers to these questions would come from a very sophisticated understanding of the theory. It is an endeavor that remains open to the reader if they can come to terms first with the information that is here.
Even if the book is not followed up on by subsequent study it can still leave a long lasting impression with its tips on discipline and achieving goals. It is great value for the amount of information contained in such a short burst. It will get you thinking strategically and that is more or less its claim to fame.
A well thought out treatise, all in a little book.......2007-09-12
A very good treatise on the Taoist perspective on war. It carries so many parallels to today's modern combat, and is required reading in Asian businesses and for Asian military officers, especially the Chinese People's Liberation Army. It's a fairly easy read and very good to understand as well. Compare it to the Machiavelli book of the same name and you'd see a stark contrast to it. Recommended for those who want to learn what would be good military strategy and tactics, especially if those support a military with greater autonomy than many countries have now.
The Optimistic Jew.......2007-08-31
B.H. Liddell Hart's favorite military thinker even though he lived 2,000 years earlier. Like Liddell Hart his thought transcends the military sphere and influenced me in my writing of "The Optimistic Jew". Worthwhile reading even today.
Required reading at many military colleges around the world.......2007-08-21
Written in approximately 470 BC, The Art of War is a Taoist treatise on martial and political philosophy ... one of the most famous ever written, and one of the most often quoted. The fact that it is still popular and well quoted, after more than 2,000 years, should say something about its timeless qualities.
It's composed as a list of terse, keen and ingenious observations, sayings, and maxims ... with various translators over the centuries each adding their own interpretations and commentary. There's something on almost every topic ... from siege planning, use of formations & maneuvering, the virtues of adaptability and cunning, speed, the use of positioning & terrain, disinformation and the use of spies, etc.
The author's advice spans both low level tactics ["do not stop an army on its way home" {Brad: because they'll be more likely to fight to the death} ... "a surrounded army must be given a way out" {Brad: channel their retreat into a killing zone of your own creation}] ... and high level strategic thinking ["a superior militarist foils enemy plots without the need to fight; the next best {strategy} is to ruin their alliances; next {best strategy} after that is to attack their armed forces; worst {strategy} is to beseige their cities"]
It's required reading at many military colleges around the world.
Human Nature.......2007-05-24
The reason this book is a timeless classic is because it analyzes all aspects of war from the standpoint of human nature, and makes a solid case that any endeavor that fails to take into account human nature is doomed to failure. Because the subject is warfare, including its causes, and the analysis is solid, one is left with not only the first order result (how to handle a war situation effectively) but also a life changing understanding of the humbling constraints of human existence and the pragmatics of applied psychology. Anyone who is bored by this book (and this particular one is excellent) is not yet ready to learn basic lessons about human existence. Anyone who is capable of humility will be changed by this book. It should be read by everyone, several times throughout life.
Book Description
The reporter who filed the last dispatch before falling with Custer at his "last stand" against the Sioux. The Honolulu bureau chief who looked up from his breakfast table to see Japanese planes flying low and called San Francisco, managing to dictate a single paragraph before all communications to the mainland were cut. The Saigon bureau chief who served Coca-Cola and pound cake to three North Vietnamese soldiers before writing the bulletin announcing the fall of Saigon. These are but a few of the gripping and dramatic stories reported first by the Associated Press in the past century and a half.
In How the Associated Press Has Covered War, Peace, and Everything Else, the Associated Press throws open its archives and invites readers into its news bureaus and out into the field to witness first hand its groundbreaking reporting on presidents, elections, wars, civil rights, trials and crimes, disasters, business, and major sports events. The book conveys, through personal accounts, archival materials, interviews, and Pulitzer-Prize-winning photographs, how the AP became the world's largest news organization and how it continues to play a vital role in providing the news to the American and international press. Breaking News makes an original and significant contribution to journalism history by shedding light on the nation's primary newswire service, one that reaches one half of the world daily and upon which virtually every serious newspaper and broadcast outlet in the nation has relied for decades.
Customer Reviews:
A book worth reading.......2007-05-31
This book is an important reminder of the tireless and many times anonymous job AP reporters do on a daily basis. The book is filled with rich details about the wire service. It's really a history of American journalism.
Customer Reviews:
A very advanced book.......2007-08-07
This is one of the best books that I have read on war. The book covers history, government, religion, economics, law (both domestic and international). All of these areas are apart of warmaking. The author writes the book with the assuption that the reader as an indepth understanding of all these areas. If you do not have a good understanding of each of these areas, then reasoning of this book will be lost on you.
The age of this book having been written in the early 90's is what caught my eye. That made this author not one of the current glut of the new trend of writting on counterinsurgency, Islam, and the current trends of warfare now. The author speaks of many of the same techniques as the new Army/Marine's counterinsurgency manual. Again this was written 16 years ago.
I only gave this four stars because with the obvious knowledge that the author has, the conclution that the modern state and its military is going to come crumbling down is completely wrong. Even given the date of this book I find the conclusion too large of a stretch, making it an emotional arguement and one not based on sound scholary work. Which completely surprizes me with it being set in the middle of such an amazing work.
Over all this an excellent work and is a must read for those who want to learn about war and how it is wage. It is also superior to most of all the new books that have been published in the last five years.
Read it!.......2006-08-10
This is NOT a book for the military leaders - their eyes will glaze over. This is a book for everyone NOT in the military so you can think about what is meant by "war." Is what's going on in Lebanon right now "war?" Ask the next three people you meet. It's a history, of sorts, of "war" but it's really about how violence has evolved (devolved?) from relatively chivalrous to brutally awful to chivalrous and then - with Clausewitz's pronouncements - to "total" and "no quarter." Until we get to where we are today. "War," we learn used to be a lot like it is now. Then it became Clausewitz's trinity of Government, Governed and Armed Force. Governments waged war - including "total" war as in the world wars - for the people through the armed forces. But now we're back to the idea of "small" and local and esoteric - at least some are. Clausewitz said it was a terrible mistake to temper warmaking with "rules" or "laws" other than what was expedient on the battlefield and his views became doctrine. Whole cities were burned and converted to dusty rubble. But there was a point - it was "good" against "evil." Worldwide. Now, though, we see "terrorists" waging "war" and we respond with a "war on terror." But the "terrorists" are not a nation - they cannot be fought as other wars were fought and they can't be defeated as other armed forces were defeated. They are applying the "new" rules of warfare while we and Israel and Great Britain and France and Germany continue to apply the Clausewitzian principles. That's why this book is not for the military reader - the military reader is steeped in his traditions and controlled by the government on how, when and where he will fight. This book is for the rest of us - how do we want to conduct our violent confrontations with other people in the world? Do we do as Clausewitz preached and use overwhelming force with no quarter given? Or do we do something else. Since it appears the overwhelming force idea may not be working all that well anymore, it's worth considering something else.
The book will sharpen your thinking about current events - help to understand the inexplicable by understanding a little how the "leaders" who are conducting the violence may be thinking.
Recommended Reading.......2006-07-06
I highly recommend this book be on the US Army's Chief of Staff reading list for officers (if it has not already been done). This is one of those rare books whose message is not only important, but presented in a format that is easily understood. Creveld's message does help put wars like Iraq into proper context.
I would compare this book (of the same topic) with others like James Dunnigan (of How to Make War fame) or books by Peter Drucker (who write books about management, but can also be applied to war). Again, I highly recommend this book not only for its important message, but also for its clarity.
Not that great.......2005-08-05
read this book with very high expectations based on the reviews. There is a lot in it. Some of it is right, some is not (e.g. the workings of the Roman Army are oversimplified). My major gripe is that it equates the modern state to a war making organization: when classic armies disappear, the state disappears too. The modern state probably was born as the most effective warmaking organization of his time but others could argue that it was born as the most efficient task collecting organization of his time. In any case today it does a lot more than putting armies in the field and collecting taxes. Plus it has infinite resources compared to a small group of, say, terrorists. A state that is well led and aware of the dangers of low-intensity conflicts can survive by
adopting the same techniques and exporting the conflict as much as possible. Unfortunately, on one thing van Creveld may be right, that this will force the state to adopt terrorists' techniques.
Amazing!!!.......2004-12-10
When I finished reading this book I could hardly believe that a writer could prophesize the future war events in such a clear way. Van Creveld's thesis is that war as we know it in the last 3,5 centuries (waged between states and organized armies) has reached its end and is now in a process of radical tramsformation. Analyzing many examples from the military history he suggests that we are entering into an era where states lose the monopoly of waging war and confront non-state actors who do not embrace the same philosophical values. Van Creveld overturns Clauzewitz's traditional views one by one, using very convincing arguments, and unfortunately he is confirmed by international events today. While reading the book there were many cases when I was dumbfounded by the fact that a writer completing his work near the end of the Cold War could see our era with such a clarity, and I was really amazed by the fact that the book was written in 1991. It is more modern than anything else I have read on the subject of modern war and surpasses even contemporary analysis. Van Creveld does not avoid to touch even hot topics, like the sheer joy of fighting (paraphrasing Clausewitz he states that war is more the continuation of sports by other means than politics) the taboo of introducing women in the armies, the role of religion in the motivation of war and the very important argument that war does not begin when someone is willing to kill but when he is willing to die for a cause. The accuracy of his predictions is often so amazing that it becomes terrifying, especially when he states that in the future the war leaders will not be legitimate government officials but something like "The Old Man in the Mountains", meaninig the kind of warfare waged by assassins in the Middle Ages. He is also very critical against the current military-industrial complex and its super-expensive creations of high tech weapons, saying that all this paraphernalia of old war are like dinosaurs about to face extinction. This is a highly recommended book and it is sure that it will change many of your establised views on war.
Book Description
Visually rich and conceptually layered, Peace: 100 Ideas is an innovative pairing of text and 200 pages of original, full-color illustrations and photographic imagery. This ambitious volume provides 100 simple solutions for promoting peace that will challenge readers to rethink previous perceptions and reexamine their roles as members of an extended community.
Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled, elemental chlorine free, oxygen bleached paper.
Customer Reviews:
Pure Inspiration.......2005-04-09
No longer do we have to view peace as a cliche or just something we talk about and never really do. This book is so wonderful. Each spread is a different take on each idea of how to make peace truely happen. I highly recommend this book to not only designers or other creatives, but it should be given as birthday gifts, graduation gifts, or even "just because gifts".
Design Masturbation ?.......2004-08-10
Each page of this book is beautiful. Aside from that it's basically meaningless, the 'illustrations' have either a very obvious or no connection to the peace ideas. It's great that 10% of the proceeds to wagingpeace.org's mission for a more peaceful world... but why would anyone want to spend so much money on a self-promo disguised as a socially relevant book.
Stunning and inspirational.......2004-04-12
In the design community, we often talk about socially-responsible design, but remain stunted at this stage. The causes are certainly out there, and Peace: 100 Ideas shows how everyone can take matters into their own hands. This book is stunning in numerous ways: a well-designed Chicken Soup for the Soul, a righteous design exercise, a multi-functional portfolio of work, and an inspirational resource for designers and non-designers alike. It's one of my favorite books of the year for so many reasons, and if you're giving the gift of peace and/or want a rousing source of modern design, this book is highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
- The quotes of the Aikido Founder.
- For the Serious Martial Arts Practitioner
- Ueshiba O'Sensei Art of Peace, Way of Life
- "The Art of Peace begins with you..."
- Enlightening
|
Art of Peace (Shambhala Pocket Classics)
Morihei Ueshiba , and
John Stevens
Manufacturer: Shambhala
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Similar Items:
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Budo: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido (Best Karate)
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Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere: An Illustrated Introduction
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The Spirit of Aikido
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Best Aikido: The Fundamentals (Illustrated Japanese Classics)
ASIN: 0877738513
Release Date: 1992-11-10 |
Book Description
These inspirational teachings show that the real way of the warrior is based on compassion, wisdom, fearlessness, and love of nature. Drawn from the talks and writings of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of the popular Japanese martial art known as Aikido, The Art of Peace, presented here in a pocket-sized edition, offers a nonviolent way to victory and a convincing counterpoint to such classics as Musashi's Book of Five Rings and Sun Tzu's Art of War.
Customer Reviews:
The quotes of the Aikido Founder........2007-04-14
The quotes of the Aikido Founder. A wonderful book to show the heart and wisdom of Morihei Ueshiba . A gift of a book to own.
For the Serious Martial Arts Practitioner.......2007-04-12
Anyone considering taking their martial arts study to the next level and turning it into a way of life will be enriched by the philosophies found in this book.
Ueshiba O'Sensei Art of Peace, Way of Life.......2007-04-07
Awesome read and instructional guide for those who may be considering embracing any serious traditional martial art as a way of living, not just for sport enthusiast or fighter "wannabe", but actually internalizing the philosophical applications of the Martial Way (Budo) on our daily doings. A guide to discover the esoteric meaning of self control, loyalty, honor, etiquette, but above all of love, the supreme Way to self respect, respect to others and to self-preservation, the preservation of those we love and nation. All these encompassed in the base of Aikido (the way of harmony), beyond the mere exoteric physical functions of pulling, grabbing, throwing and falling. Highly recommended for the martial way enthusiast. A very interesting path to understand the profound and compassionate mind of Ueshiba O'Sensei. Osu!
Adames Sensei,
Manila, Philippines
"The Art of Peace begins with you...".......2006-09-04
Named for the mythical (?) and mystical kingdom in the East, Shambhala Publications is known for bringing some of the greatest and sometimes most obscure philosophical writings of Mankind to the attention of the general public. Heavily (though not exclusively) concerned with Buddhist and Taoist thought, Shambhala Pocket Classics are an attractive set of unabridged minibooks which fit comfortably in a shirt pocket, making them perfect for reading on planes, trains, and automobiles. Titles in the set include THE BOOK OF TEA, WAY OF THE JEWISH MYSTICS, ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES, THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD, TAO TE CHING, POEMS BY EMILY DICKINSON, THE ART OF WAR, and this volume by Morihei Ueshiba, THE ART OF PEACE.
Written as a conscious counterpoint to Sun Tzu's immortal classic, THE ART OF PEACE is a collection of aphorisms and short maxims which set forth Ueshiba's philosophy of life. Ueshiba (1883-1969), the founder of Aikido ("The Art of Peace") often referred to as O'Sensei the Great Teacher, is widely considered the greatest martial artist the world has ever seen. Aikido is regarded as the most difficult and effective of the martial arts, finding it's basis wholly in the ability to invert an aggressor's force. Aikido relies on physical conditioning and a series of locks and throws rather than injurious kicks and punches. It has been documented that in his seventies Ueshiba could restrain an attacker with one finger or evade multiple attackers with such grace that he appeared to become invisible to them.
Ueshiba was a pacifist at a time when Japan was becoming increasingly militaristic. He credited his development of Aikido to a series of visions which occurred over the course of his lifetime and convinced him of the universatility of humanity. He saw Warrior traditions as having evolved beyond mere adventures in hostility into a clarion call to protect and defend, respect and honor all things.
As such, THE ART OF PEACE is the taproot of all Aikido training. It is a brief book which holds many profound thoughts deserving of reflection. The Aikidoka needs to take THE ART OF PEACE as a foundation stone for further learning and awareness. Unsurprisingly, much of the substance of THE ART OF PEACE will be familiar to students of Zen, and this volume should form a portion of the library of any Sangha.
Enlightening.......2005-12-07
Whether you practice martial arts (Aikido) or not this book is a must read. A philosophy to live by for sure.
Book Description
This book gives you all the information you need to undertake a safe, health-improving exercise regimen. These ancient Chinese exercises are fun and low impact and help to alleviate the pains of arthritis, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and many other "senior" diseases. The book presents an overview of the practice of t'ai chi-from the principles of the movements to the history of the art itself. It discusses various positions and helps you understand what you can hope to accomplish. Plus, methods outlined in this guide can be performed standing or seated with no previous experience necessary, and taking into consideration limited range of movement. All exercises are presented in an easy-to-learn style, with true stories illustrating the benefits that other mature adults have gained from these practices. Whether you are just beginning t'ai chi or simply looking for a supplemental text to use out of class, this your guide.
Customer Reviews:
A must have for seniors.......2007-10-08
I enjoyed reading this book and have already benefited from the exercises.
I recommed it to all seniors.
For all ages.......2005-06-30
The title says it all...this book shows you in simple terms and easy to follow instructions the path to flexibility..strength and inner peace. I hope to see more books and maybe videos by Sifu Phil. Truly a great teacher.
Book Description
In the wake of Abu Ghraib, Americans have struggled to understand what happened in the notorious prison and why. In this elegant series of essays, inflected with a radical Catholic philosophy, David Griffith contends that society's shift from language to image has changed the way people think about violence and cruelty, and that a disconnect exists between images and reality. Griffith meditates on images and literature, finding potent insight into what went wrong at the prison in the works of Susan Sontag, Anthony Burgess, and especially Flannery O’Connor, who often explored the gulf between proclamations of faith and the capacity for evil. Accompanying the essays are illustrated facts about torture, lists of torture methods and their long-term effects, and graphics such as the schematics of the “pain pathways” in the human body. Together, the images and essays endow the human being with the complexity images alone deny.
Customer Reviews:
Who, How and What We Are.......2006-10-12
Truth in reviewing: I am acquainted with the author of this book, but not acquainted well enough to have known what it would be. I actually expected a novel; we get one writer's reckoning of how America reached the point where its own were humiliating and torturing prisoners at Abu Ghraib apparently for kicks. This is not political spin, it is thoughtful moral discourse, the kind of critical thinking that has gone missing for a long, long time.
When the news and photographs from Abu Ghraib hit the radar, they were quickly packaged and trimmed down to a focus on Michael Graner, Lynndie England and one or two other "bad apples." In fact, Griffith reminds us, the original photographs showed more soldiers along the edges of the sensational activities, appearing casual and even indifferent. The "bad apples" were part of the pack and that pack, Griffith finds in an exploration of American character, are us.
In a series of essays illustrated with deliberately grainy reproductions of the images he discusses, Griffith sorts through American history, his own experiences growing up Catholic as well as close readings of the ideas and works of Flannery O'Connor and Andy Warhol, among others, to probe the psycho-social roots of violence in a land so many argue was founded on Christian teachings. The territory he travels is at once familiar and all new, and what he reveals is sobering. Griffith's voice is engaging, which makes this difficult trip doable, even when he is showing us the ironic complexities of everyday life.
sublime realities.......2006-09-15
This is a text that when you set it down stays with you. Seemingly disperate events/artifacts from american culture are drawn together abu ghraib becomes only more disturbing. When i opened this book i was disgusted by those images but had a flurry of emotions attributed to them more than anythign else. Now, I am compelled to investigate further how abu ghraib is an expected event for where we are as a people. So, you leave this book knowing that every individual, yourself included, is to blame for abu ghraib, but therefore empowered to prevent it from reoccuring.
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