How profound is Sun Tzu in relation to the full expanse of Chinese and European military history? While historical accounts can act as pillars of strength and as guideposts for building military theories, statesmen or generals can rarely rely on Sun Tzu's advice as a prescription for success by randomly picking statements from his book.

This book offers a new perspective on the Art of War by comparing and contrasting Asian and Western military thought. It explores how Chinese history and culture influenced Sun Tzu's writings, and how his writings later influenced future military leaders. It also brings to light how military leaders often ignored Sun Tzu's lessons, and how changing times and battlefield requirements occasionally made Sun Tzu's advice impractical or impossible to implement.

Sun Tzu can be read metaphorically or literally. When read metaphorically, it transcends time and place and proves practical for guiding military and civilian leaders in the East and West. But when read literally, it is about strategies that win wars and have little application to the civilian world of business.