Book Review of Translation of "Sun Tzu: the Art of War" by Samuel B.
8 Aug 2002
SUN TZU: THE ART OF WAR The translation of the "Sun Tzu: The Art of War" ancient Chinese text has been given by many different writers. Samuel B. Griffith, Brigadier General, retired, U.S. Marine Corps; is a proven strategist that studied the English commandos war fighting skills as a Captain. As a Major, Griffith was hand picked to serve as Executive Officer under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Edson of the 1st Raider Battalion, one of the battalions that perfected the amphibious landings during World War II. Samuel B. Griffith gives his in-depth study on "Sun Tzu: The Art of War" and how Mao Tse-tung used the strategies and teachings of Sun Tzu while commanding the Red Army of China. Griffith's translation of Sun Tzu's work is written in three parts: Introduction, Translation, and Appendix.
PART 1: INTRODUCTION In his first chapter of his study titled The Author, Griffith gives many different possibilities as to who the actual author of the writings is. Griffith sites many theories from other sources trying to validate the origin of the author, but settles on one basic theory for the text. The Art of War was written by a single author probably around the time of the Warring States and during the periods from 400-320 B.C. (p. 11) Furthermore, Griffith states that there is not enough evidence to positively say if a person named Sun Tzu actually wrote the book or if it was written as a tribute to him, and the case of the authorship remains unsettled. The second chapter, The Text, of Griffith's study focuses on the text itself. There has been debate about how many chapters were originally in "The Art of War": Eighty-Two or Thirteen. (p. 13) Griffith gives a sound theory that the current thirteen chapters were the only writings. Based on copywriting errors, the eighty-two chapters were probably written into thirteen categories (or chapters) while trying to transcribe written work onto paper from silk or wood. Griffith
SUN TZU: THE ART OF WAR The translation of the "Sun Tzu: The Art of War" ancient Chinese text has been given by many different writers. Samuel B. Griffith, Brigadier General, retired, U.S. Marine Corps; is a proven strategist that studied the English commandos war fighting skills as a Captain. As a Major, Griffith was hand picked to serve as Executive Officer under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Edson of the 1st Raider Battalion, one of the battalions that perfected the amphibious landings during World War II. Samuel B. Griffith gives his in-depth study on "Sun Tzu: The Art of War" and how Mao Tse-tung used the strategies and teachings of Sun Tzu while commanding the Red Army of China. Griffith's translation of Sun Tzu's work is written in three parts: Introduction, Translation, and Appendix.
PART 1: INTRODUCTION In his first chapter of his study titled The Author, Griffith gives many different possibilities as to who the actual author of the writings is. Griffith sites many theories from other sources trying to validate the origin of the author, but settles on one basic theory for the text. The Art of War was written by a single author probably around the time of the Warring States and during the periods from 400-320 B.C. (p. 11) Furthermore, Griffith states that there is not enough evidence to positively say if a person named Sun Tzu actually wrote the book or if it was written as a tribute to him, and the case of the authorship remains unsettled. The second chapter, The Text, of Griffith's study focuses on the text itself. There has been debate about how many chapters were originally in "The Art of War": Eighty-Two or Thirteen. (p. 13) Griffith gives a sound theory that the current thirteen chapters were the only writings. Based on copywriting errors, the eighty-two chapters were probably written into thirteen categories (or chapters) while trying to transcribe written work onto paper from silk or wood. Griffith