{"title":"Ralph Sawyer","description":"\u003cp\u003eDelve into the world of Ralph Sawyer, a master of military strategy and ancient Chinese texts. Explore translations and insightful analysis, perfect for history buffs and strategy game enthusiasts.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"art-of-war-book-ralph-sawyer-9780762415984","title":"The Art of War","description":"The ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu is universally recognized as the greatest military strategist in history, a master of warfare interpretation. 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Sawyer is the preeminent scholar and translator on Sun-tzu's masterful work. More than 200,000 copies of his  Sun-tzu Art of War  and more than 55,000 copies of  The Complete Art of War  have been sold. The  Art of War  is the most famous study of strategy ever written and has had an extraordinary influence on the history of warfare.  The Essential Art of War  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  Art of War  translation as the centrepiece, 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.  The Essential Art of War  is presented in an attractive 208-page hardcover volume with foiled jacket, stamped case, and ribbon marker, in a convenient gift size.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49615304392977,"sku":"GOR013667337","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50067368345873,"sku":"GOR002897056","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50293687746833,"sku":"CIN0465072046VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50352069509393,"sku":"CIN0465072046G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0465072046.jpg?v=1751447565"},{"product_id":"ling-chi-ching-a-classic-chinese-oracle-book-sawyer-ralph-d-and-mei-chun-le-9780760712399","title":"Ling Chi Ching A Classic Chinese Oracle","description":null,"brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49654364504337,"sku":"GOR006143465","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50784281100561,"sku":"CIN0760712395VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50854135562513,"sku":"GOR014095979","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52816313057553,"sku":"CIN0760712395G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0760712395.jpg?v=1750945428"},{"product_id":"essence-of-war-book-ralph-sawyer-9780813390499","title":"The Essence Of War","description":"From antiquity, the history of China has been marked by invading tribes, warring states, and popular uprisings. This heritage of conflict produced a body of martial literature exploring the fundamental principles of warfare and their methods of employment. Fully aware of the tragic consequences of battle, the authors of these texts emphasized that bloodshed and war should be avoided whenever possible. But, they argued, this is possible only when the principles of leadership and strategy have been mastered and the dynamics of conflict thoroughly analyzed. Over the centuries, these texts have been studied throughout Asia, not only by generals on the battlefield but by leaders of all kinds concerned with the management of human conflict in all its forms. The Essence of War  presents eight of these classics (written from 500 B.C.E. to 700 C.E.), including Sun-tzu's  Art of War  and Sun Pin's  Military Methods . The book introduces the core principles of Chinese military science, grouping selected passages and key quotations into five thematic sections encompassing forty-one topical chapters: Fundamentals, Tao of Warfare, Tao of Command, Tactical Essentials, and Tactical Specifics. Translator Ralph D. Sawyer provides here a concise introduction to Chinese military thought and influential materials not only of traditional import, but also for contemporary study and enduring value in both business and military circles throughout the world.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":49724115943697,"sku":"CIN0813390494G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50422880141585,"sku":"CIN0813390494VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":51320858575121,"sku":"NGR9780813390499","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ WELL_READ \/ SBYB","offer_id":51694044905745,"sku":"CIN0813390494A","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52584653881617,"sku":"NLS9780813390499","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53252006445329,"sku":"GOR008506179","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0813390494.jpg?v=1750850090"},{"product_id":"tao-of-deception-book-ralph-sawyer-9780465072057","title":"The Tao of Deception","description":"The history of China is a history of warfare. Wars have caused dynasties to collapse, fractured the thin façade of national unity, and brought decades of alien occupation. But throughout Chinese history, its warfare has been guided by principles different from those that governed Europe. Chinese strategists followed the concept, first articulated by Sun-tzu in  The Art of War , of  qi (ch'i) , or unorthodox, warfare. The concept of  qi  involves creating tactical imbalances in order to achieve victory against even vastly superior forces. Ralph D. Sawyer, translator of  The Art of War  and one of America's preeminent experts on Chinese military tactics, here offers a comprehensive guide to the ancient practice of unorthodox warfare. He describes, among many other tactics, how Chinese generals have used false rumors to exploit opposing generals' distrust of their subordinates dressed thousands of women as soldiers to create the illusion of an elite attack force and sent word of a false surrender to lure enemy troops away from a vital escape route.  The Tao of Deception  is the book that military tacticians and military historians will turn to as the definitive guide to a new, yet ancient, way of thinking about strategy.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":49934970388753,"sku":"CIN0465072054G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51302849315089,"sku":"GOR002471251","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51694004699409,"sku":"CIN0465072054VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52655702245649,"sku":"NLS9780465072057","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0465072054.jpg?v=1751391542"},{"product_id":"tao-of-war-book-ralph-sawyer-9780813340814","title":"The Tao Of War","description":"Wang Chen, a ninth-century military commander, was sickened by the carnage that had plagued the glorious T'ang dynasty for decades. \"All within the seas were poisoned,\" he wrote, \"and pain and disaster was rife throughout the land.\" Wang Chen wondered, how can we end conflicts before they begin? How can we explain and understand the dynamics of conflict? For the answer he turned to a remarkable source-the  Tao Te Ching . Here is Wang Chen's own rendering of and commentary on the ancient text, insightfully expanded and amplified by translator Ralph D. Sawyer, a leading scholar of Chinese military history.Although the  Tao  long influenced Chinese military doctrine, Wang Chen's interpretations produced the first reading of it as a martial text-a \"tao of war.\" Like Sun-tzu's  Art of War , certainly the most famous study of strategy ever written, the Tao provides lessons for the struggles of contemporary life. In the way that the ancient  Art of War  provides inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive situations of all kinds, even in today's world, Wang Chen's  The Tao of War  uncovers action plans for managing conflict and promoting peace. A book to put on the shelf next to  Art of War , Wang Chen's  The Tao of War  is a reference of equally compelling and practical advice.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":49934978056465,"sku":"CIN0813340810G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51101767368977,"sku":"CIN0813340810VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51772442837265,"sku":"GOR014397526","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0813340810.jpg?v=1762337127"},{"product_id":"one-hundred-unorthodox-strategies-book-ralph-sawyer-9780813328614","title":"One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies","description":"One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies  was compiled in the fifteenth century, during the Ming Dynasty, as a handbook of tactics based on Chinese military classics. Translated into English for the first time, this unique work draws on over two thousand years of experience in warfare to present a distillation of one hundred key strategic principles. Originally prepared as a text for students aspiring to high political positions in Confucian China,  One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies  is a compendium of Oriental strategies concisely stated and each individually illustrated with a description of battle from Chinese history. These historical examples shed new light on the often enigmatic formulations of the ancient strategists on subjects such as Strategic Power, defence, Vacuity, Spirit, and Victory. Acclaimed translator and Chinese military specialist Ralph Sawyer adds his own thoughtful commentary, deepening the reader's understanding of the intricacies of Chinese strategic thought.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":49934978187537,"sku":"CIN0813328616VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ WELL_READ \/ SBYB","offer_id":50367308169489,"sku":"CIN0813328616A","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51551954403601,"sku":"GOR011881905","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51879700136209,"sku":"CIN0813328616G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52428992413969,"sku":"NLS9780813328614","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52740251287825,"sku":"NIN9780813328614","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0813328616.jpg?v=1751296811"},{"product_id":"tao-of-spycraft-book-ralph-sawyer-9780813342405","title":"The Tao Of Spycraft","description":"In  The Tao of Spycraft , for the first time anywhere Ralph Sawyer unfolds the long and venerable tradition of spycraft and intelligence work in traditional China, revealing a vast array of theoretical materials and astounding historical developments. Encompassing extensive translations of relevant portions of theoretical military manuals previously unknown in the West (such as the  T'ai-pai Yin-ching, Hu-ling Ching, and Ping-fa Pai-yen ), the book spans centuries to trace the development and expansion of agent concepts, insertion and control methods, recruitment, and covert practices such as assassination, subversion, and sexual entrapment and exploitation, going on to explore counter-intelligence and all aspects of military intelligence, including objectives, analysis and interpretation.But  The Tao of Spycraft  is more than an examination of military tactics, it also provides a thorough overview of the history of spies in China, emphasizing their early development, ruthless employment, and dramatic success in subverting famous generals, dooming states to extinction, and facilitating the rise of the first imperial dynasty known as the Ch'in. The cases discussed-particularly those exploiting women and sex-not only became part of China's general mindset over the ages, but coupled with the theoretical writings remain the basis for the study and teaching of contemporary spycraft methods and practices as the PRC trains and aggressively deploys thousands of agents throughout the world, including the United States.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50259182780689,"sku":"GOR013161206","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50332524347665,"sku":"CIN0813342406G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":51320946327825,"sku":"NGR9780813342405","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51394359689489,"sku":"GOR007471614","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52334282277137,"sku":"NLS9780813342405","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52651332436241,"sku":"CIN0813342406VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0813342406.jpg?v=1750882642"},{"product_id":"ling-ch-i-ching-book-ralph-sawyer-9780813341743","title":"Ling Ch'i Ching","description":"The Ling Ch'I Ching was first created by an unknown Chinese scholar who consciously sought to present the world with a more accessible oracle than the esoteric I Ching. 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To aid the reader in interpreting the oracle, selections from classical commentaries have been included, as well as the translators' own commentary on the text.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50359394828561,"sku":"GOR013935162","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51334669140241,"sku":"CIN0813341744VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52085556871441,"sku":"GOR006685055","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52131322921233,"sku":"NLS9780813341743","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":53348663329041,"sku":"NIN9780813341743","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0813341744.jpg?v=1750785958"},{"product_id":"ancient-chinese-warfare-book-ralph-sawyer-9780465021451","title":"Ancient Chinese Warfare","description":"The history of China is a history of warfare. 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