The Art of War

By: Sun Tzu

Narrated by: Aidan Gillen

The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.

Aidan Gillen - who has learned a thing or two about strategy through his roles as skilled manipulator Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (Game of Thrones) and ambitious politician Tommy Carcetti (The Wire) - brilliantly performs this ancient classic. His experience in portraying insightful and, at times, cunning characters makes him a natural fit for this ancient collection of battlefield epigrams whose influence has grown tremendously in the modern world.

Public Domain (P)2015 Audible Inc.

The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary

Excellent reading by Aidan Quinn, and a nice translation by an uncredited translator.

People sometimes assume that because The Art of War is short, and it mentions Sun Tzu in the text, a given edition is an abridgment or a summary. No, The Art of War is just pithy, and was never intended to be a book. It was written down on scrolls around 500 BC. A translation of the text itself will be no more than 80 pages, often in the form of verse or bullet points, though a given edition might be longer because it contains additional material, such as an introduction and some of the classical commentary. For example, Lionel Giles' translation is 25 pages long and just under 11,000 words.

As for the text speaking of Master Sun saying various things, that's not an uncommon device. The Book of Ecclesiastes does it, too, for example, and so does the Chuang Tzu. "Sun Tzu" appears to be an imaginary authority, inspired by a military expert named Sun Bin, rather than the actual author, so it's pretty logical.

I mention this because at least a couple of the commenters here have come to the wrong conclusions about what this audio book is, and a lot of people have taken their word for it, judging by the approval ratings. This is a very good recording, and it would be a shame to overlook it because of a misunderstanding.

Clever and extremely enjoyable

Stroke of genius having Aidan Gillen read Art of War. His gentle Irish brogue is tough yet alluring. And as a fan of GoT, I can see Littlefinger conspiring over this document and making these words his own. Well done!

must read

This is a must read for anyone interested in philosophy. The concepts talked about in the book can and should be applied to all aspects of basic life, not just for war, don't let the title mislead you

Maybe we don't have chariots todat, but ...

the ideas developed in this book can be applied to today, chariots are tanks, spies are satellites, and so on... good small read

Practical not just for warfare, but for business too

The Art of War was written by Sun Tzu almost 3000 years ago, yet it’s still practical in today’s warfare and also in the brutal business world. The Chinese army and most of business owners in China definitely read and studied the original text extensively, and the rest of the world should too.

Know thy enemy and know thy self.

Very well read. Kinda boring here and there but overall a true classic. I will most likely listen to it many times.

The Perfect Adapatation?

Where does The Art of War rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's hard to compare the Art of War to another book, but this is exceptional.

What does Aidan Gillen bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Having the actor who brings Petyr Baelish and Tommy Carcetti to life on television read this book is inspired. In my mind, I picture Lord Baelish recounting Master Sun to the ladies of one of his houses, smiling at them as he describes the moral law. I cannot imagine a more perfect narrator.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If you have never read the Art of War, I wouldn't advise it, as it's a book of maxims which require consideration and reflection. You certainly can listen to it in a single sitting and when you start, you'll find it impossible to stop.

Any additional comments?

Mr. Gillen ought to be engaged to read The Prince. Imagine Littlefinger holding forth with this: "Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with."

No one could do Machiavelli more justice.

All around message

This is suitable for everyday life, business, love and dealing with friends and enemies, I listen to this book a couple times a year, just to stay on alert.

Classic strategy

Required reading for Marines. I read it the 1st time when I was 19 and have been rereading it every 5 years or so ever since. Short, pithy and powerful.

Never interrupt an enemy making a mistake.

Great performance by the voice over artist. It brings this ancient text to life. Some of it pertains only to military strategy, others rules to live by. Ancient wisdom is just like the book of proverbs.