Book Description
Tactics, tricks and traps! Every chess player loves to win, but nothing compares to winning with a flourish. How happy we are when the tactics work and we decide a game with a cunning trick, a devilish trap or a delightful coup de grâce. The Sicilian is one of the sharpest and most popular chess openings and offers endless possibilities for players looking for fireworks. It's not for nothing that among the most loyal fans of the Sicilian we find tactical geniuses like Garry Kasparov, Bobby Fischer and Judit Polgar! In this book you will find more than 250 carefully selected and expertly annotated Sicilian games full of unexpected turns and brilliant surprise attacks. You can study these games or just enjoy them, but either way they will end up making you a stronger player! A.C. van der Tak is widely respected as an authority on opening theory. For the past three decades he has been a highly productive contributor to New In Chess and its predecessor Schaakbulletin. Friso Nijboer is one of Holland's most active and most experienced grandmasters. He has played in countless national championships and was one of the topscorers of the Dutch team that won the European Championship in 2001.
Book Description
The remarkable best-seller -- a long-lost, 300-year-old book of wisdom on how to live successfully yet responsibly in a society governed by self-interest -- as acute as Machiavelli yet as humanistic and scrupulously moral as Marcus Aurelius.
Customer Reviews:
Wise Owl.......2007-07-17
Throughout the years, I've read various philosophers and grasped their differant ideologies. I haven't read too much of Gracian. After reading the Art of Wordly Wisdom as traslated by Maurer, I feel as though I've been deprived of this great Philosopher. I wish I had read more of Gracian's work earlier on. This book details various compilations of conduct and thinking. It truly is a gem. It is a Highly recommended book.
great translation of a classic.......2007-05-13
a modern trasnlation that loses none of the fine qualities of early editions....recommended
Great Book.......2007-01-23
This book is great. It's one of those books you can pick up for 5 minutes each morning or evening and get motivation or advice for your day.
Age old wisdom.......2007-01-18
I use it mainly for work...to manage people and relationships. It makes you aware of your behaviour and it's impact on others and vice versa. I would recommend this book to people trying move up the corporate ladder.
Rules to Live by.......2006-03-09
This is a book that I read over and over and over...... And yet, there is no story, no plot, no beginning and no end.
So many great rules (suggestions) to live by. I love it.
-j
Book Description
The New Art of War, Tactics, and Power is a new and unique text that represents some of the finest insights the world has ever produced on subjects such as strategy, leadership, management, power, and persuasion. Author Rodney Ohebsion has created a new rendition of material from four classic and legendary texts:
- The Art of War, an Ancient Chinese book of military tactics formulated by military strategist Sun Tzu
- The Prince, a guide on how to be an effective ruler and stay in power, written by Italian political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli in 1513
- The Art of Worldly Wisdom, a collection of various life strategy tactics written by Spanish Jesuit and philosopher Baltasar Gracian in 1647
- The Han Fei Tzu, an Ancient Chinese text written by the Legalist philosopher Han Fei Tzu, dealing with subjects such as authority, laws, rewards, punishments, and persuasion
The New Art of War, Tactics, and Power takes key ideas and selections from these texts, makes some new variations, additions and condensations, and puts everything in a new organization--resulting in a "new classic" that is the world's most powerful power manual ever.
Customer Reviews:
Good concept, terrible execution.......2007-07-13
I've been looking for a condensed tactics book for a while, but this only goes so far. Ignoring the occasional typographical error, the book is completely underwritten. Page 39 spans all of five lines of text and there is nothing on its opposite side. It seems that no analysis of the strategies has been offered, but rather a summary of key points of the books that the cover of the book so proudly shows off.
Don't buy this because of the price. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene is a vastly superior book to this, and it costs only $2 more.
A Collection of "Common Wisdom".......2007-06-08
I was looking for the Art of War by Sun Tzu on Bookins and found this "updated" version of Sun Tzu's teachings which has been compiled along with teachings from three others. I was not sure what to expect so I was neither delighted nor disappointed by what I received.
New Art of War is a very easy read. It's only 152 pages long and almost half of those pages are blank back sides and/or only half filled. The lessons are (mostly) presented in very quick, short bursts which make them easy to read and digest.
While I wouldn't say that this is not a very business-oriented book, there are business principles that can be gleaned for most business leaders. Most of the insight is "common" knowledge, especially since these writings originated thousands of years ago, but having a collection from these four philosophers in one place makes for a good read.
new art of war , tatics and power.......2007-05-12
a colosal waste of money and paper to print it on . wanted to return it but didn't get it returned in the allowed amount of time . this is without a doubt the worst purchase of a book by me EVER !! didn't give an option for lower than one star unfortunately .
Collected thoughts on daily strategy.......2005-05-20
This brief book collects thoughts from four of history's greatest strategists, the kinds of ideas you can put to immediate use in your business life and daily life. Two of the thinkers, Sun Tzu and especially Macchiavelli are well known in west. The other two, Baltasar Gracián and Han Fei Tzu, deserve to be better known. Rodney Ohebsion's book shows why.
Extracts from all four writers discuss trust, leadership, success, and the factors that lead up to it. Despite separations up to two thousand years, and the wider separations of Eastern and Western culture, there are some stiking similiarities in their thinking. All of them stress flexibility and adaptation to circumstance, for example in Sun Tzu's "Modifying Tactics", Macchiavelli's "Suit Action to Fit the Times," Gracián's "Variate", and Han Fei's "Adapt." Other recurring themes include the value of information (pp. 71, 89, 127), or the preferred kinds of forces for binding the led to the leader (pp. 41, 67, 135). The book is intentionally brief or it could have drawn more parallels as well, for example Macchiavelli's "Lion and Fox" to Gracián's 'serpent and dove.' Unfortunately, the reader must refer to Gracián's own book to see that passage. Only 13 of the 300 aphoristic "oracles" are reproduced here, and the other authors are similarly abridged.
That brings up an important point about this book. It is brief by intent, so it necessarily loses much of each writer's context and general sense. Gracián was a Jesuit priest, familiar with warfare but largely concerned with social the good and bad of interactions. Sun Tzu's goals were different, but relatively direct: his work discusses military strategy only, and applicability in other spheres is just a happy side effect. Macchiavelli, of course, dealt with adversarial affairs of state in many ways, often referring to adversaries within the state or even within the court. Han Fei, however, is the most chilling of the lot. His original, Legalist text is practically a cookbook for totalitarianism. He turns even one's own family into potential enemies. He uses even the happiness of people as a tool for reducing their threat. The full brutality of hard-core Legalist thinking, as it deals with one's own people, is not at all apparent in Ohebsion's extracts.
Still, there is a lot to like in this book. Ohebsion's target audience seems to be busy people who want only the good parts, and Ohebsion addresses that demand. He supplies nearly no commentary, not even the implicit comment there would have been in grouping similar chapters by each author together. There's a lot of white space in the book too, so its nominal 150 pages read like a lot less.
Perhaps best of all, Ohebsion introduces a busy modern reader to classic thinkers worth further attention. For example, I had never heard of Gracián. Extracts in this book motivated me to read the whole of that text, for which I am grateful.
//wiredweird, reviewing a complimentary copy
The Wisdom of Posterity. .......2005-05-08
The New Art of War is a summary involving four of history's richest observors of power and human nature. The ideas of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, Baltasar Gracian, and Han Fei Tzu are packaged into an easily accessible book and then recapitulated with modern readers in mind. One can see how this would be useful to those in the business world and how the development of a strategy concerning interactions with others would benefit
aspiring executives.
It was helpful to read Ohebsion's descriptions of The Prince and The Art of War even though I was already highly familiar with the conclusions of those quasi-prophets. Yet, despite the nobility of Machievelli and Sun Tzu the latter two sages, Gracian and Han Fei Tzu, were what really stood out in the text. I was a novice to their ideas and their thoughts before opening these pages. Baltasar Gracian's The Art of Worldly Wisdom is definitely something that I want to one day study in its entirety. His insight on human nature is astounding. The statement, "People must be studied as deeply as books," should be posted on the wall. His injunction against falling into the quagmire of trivial matters is pure gold and a point that is universally applicable to man. With Han Fei Tzu, the fact that his views are galaxies away from the touchy-feely pap ruinously issued by self-help books mandates that these observations be read again and again. Wouldn't Bill Clinton have benefited from Tzu's admonition, "The wise ruler, in conducting himself with women, enjoys them, but doesn't let them manipulate and control him with their requests." Ah, had he followed this there would have been "no blue light/two for one special" during his presidency. Overall, the author does us a great service by elucidating the brainwork of these forgotten masterminds.
I did have one criticism of the book which stemmed from its lack of a unifying, integrating introduction. The ideas of these giants must be synthesized for the reader and presented as one vision. Thta is essential. The author needs to let the reader know why these minds are so exceptional and also what their application is to the present day. Certainly, once we read the book we can figure that out for ourselves (hopefully) but a strong preliminary statement would have been useful. Regrettably, it was absent.
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Gracian's Manual: A Truth-Telling Manual & the Art of Worldly Wisdom
Manufacturer: Charles C Thomas Pub Ltd
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Customer Reviews:
Gracian's Manual.......2000-01-23
Using tips from the 16th century, you will succeed in Life and business with this EASY to read and EASY to remember book.
Book Description
“Think with the few and speak with the many,” “Friends are a second existence,” and “Be able to forget” are among this volume’s 300 pithy maxims on politics, professional life, and personal development. Published in 1637 by Baltasar Gracian, a Spanish Jesuit scholar, this book of timeless advice, focusing on honesty and kindness, remains ever popular.
Book Description
1904. The translator, Mr. Jacobs, has endeavored to produce Gracian's Laconism and "Cultismo" in his own version, and even tried to retain Gracian's many paronomasias and jingles of similar sound. Jacobs may have here and there introduced others of his own to redress the balance for cases where he found it impossible to produce the same effect in English. In such cases, Jacobs generally gives the original in the Notes. Wherever possible he replaced Spanish proverbs and proverbial phrases by English ones, and throughout tried to preserve the characteristic rhythm and brevity of the proverb.
Customer Reviews:
The "Art of War" for office politics.......2006-10-16
These 300 maxims by the disobedient Jesuit of the 17th century are practical rules to live by if you would succeed in human society. While not rising (or sinking) to the level of Machiavellian, it must be stated that pragmatism is the guiding light behind this guide to advancement in life. It's not strictly immoral, and indeed Gracian urges the cultivation of virtue, but it also recognizes the fact that one's success depends on the approbation of a fickle, superficial and jealous humanity which sometimes has to be treated with guile, cunning and artifice when flattery, style and native talent just won't cut it. While the idealist might shrink from the book's subject matter, the realist will smile at its insightfulness.
So so! Definitely not on any priority list!.......2006-05-11
I am afraid many supporters of Gracian will curse me for describing this "classic" as so so! How dare I criticize a Spanish masterpiece once translated by Schopenhauer! However, as a pragmatic self help book lover, I must say that the 300 maxims highly condensed in 171 content pages really do me little good. The maxims written nearly four centuries ago are alright, yet common sense nowadays, though common sense is not that common. Nevertheless, sorry to say that the absence of true core values behind those maxims (at least I cant grasp those, or at most per Maxim 300: In one word, be a saint), and many somehow contradictory maxims (perhaps I just dont understand them deep enough with the less than 100 words of elaboration for each maxim) really cut the value of the book. For sure it would be okay to read one, and re-read, which is necessary. But I am obliged to say that there are plenty of better alternatives to enhance your edge of survival in the world of concrete jungle.
The Art of Worldly Wisom, Balzecar.......2005-09-09
Excellent book with many useful ideas for living in todays world.
Noblesse Oblige' or Noblus Obligus:
With Honor; Obligation
The Art of Courtly (Noble) Conduct
after NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI and SUN TZU comes BALTASAR GRACIAN.......2003-05-10
.
A very small book--literally the size of a credit card, and only half an inch thick--of three-hundred maxims, covering practically all of the wisdom one needs to go through life. Each maxim covering less than a tiny page, often only half. (The size of THIS PARTICULAR EDITION is NOT meant to make one feel cheated of what one paid for. It IS meant to be COMPACT, to carry in the pocket or bag, for frequent reference, in brief quiet moments. There are hardcover versions around.)
Originally written in Spanish in 1637 by a Jesuit scholar, it has been translated into eight European languages. This one translated by another scholar and literary critic named Joseph Jacobs, who also collected folklores (including English and Celtic fairy tales, as well as the fables of Aesop).
This particular translation is known to preserve Gracian's epigrammatic style, including his word plays and puns, albeit later updated where necessary due to being unclear and/or dated in grammar and syntax, and revised in comparison with other known English versions.
In contrast to Machiavelli, who put CRUDE REALITY into words, Gracian is more on the side of a little IDEALISM and NOBILITY in living one's life. Which is not to say he aims for ASPHYXIA; much is given to living a happy life, part of which is giving oneself a break and a breather.
[NEGATIVE] A few maxims are of limited use for its obviousness--in essence, "sometimes go left, sometimes go right". (Uhm, aren't those ALL of the very choices from which one must pick? And doesn't EVERYBODY ALREADY know that.) The wisdom of everything else in the book in nonetheless undiminished.
The brevity (not concise; some maxims are translated rather long-windedly) of the maxims does not mean that they are to be read as many in one stretch. After all, the benefits only start when wisdom is absorbed and lived out. Best to read through a dozen at most at a time; re-read and re-read, giving each time to sink into the heart and mind; only then move onto the next dozen or two.
Quite ENLIGHTENING. Worth keeping one copy of. Or perhaps two--a hardcover edition, too, in one's library, work desk, coffee table or reception room . . . for anyone who might walk in or anyone being made to wait, and who could use the time literally wisely.
.
Well....it's very practical.......2003-01-27
Usually the beauty of a book like this is that the author has trancended the ego and offers insights from a spiritually elevated place, one to which we can all aspire. "The Art of Worldly Wisdom" at least acknowledges that much of what we want as ordinary humans is to get ahead; make more money, achieve fame, have more friends...basically have more than the next guy.
But the real challenge of life is the possibility of trancendance, the possibility of being something other than ordinary, the possibility of caring about something bigger than oneself. This book is enjoyable in that it tells it like it is, and with the abundance of feel good, sentimental, new-age quackery out there...that's refreshing. But in the final analysis it must be said that this book is nothing other than an eloquent reaction to fear. Listen to this bit of wisdom: "Let someone else take the hit. You will shield yourself from malevolence: sound policy in those who govern. Having someone else take the blame for failure and be the butt of gossip does not spring from a lack of ability, as malice thinks, but from superior skill. Not everything can turn out well, and you can't please everyone. So look for a scapegoat, someone whose own ambition will make him a good target." If that passes for wisdom, then I am the King of Siam reincarnated. I guess this is the supposedly "enlightened" self-interest that masquerades as a philosophy for living well in our culture.
This guy has never made it out of the "I need" phase of spiritual developement. The book is interesting as a period piece, but Balthazar Gracian lives in a simple and selfish world. Do you?
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The Art of Worldly Wisdom
Baltasar Gracian
Manufacturer: Shambhala
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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The Art of War: (Miniature book)
ASIN: 1590304020
Release Date: 2006-09-12 |
Book Description
This perenially popular book of advice on how to achieve personal and professional success is valued for its timeless insights on how to make one's way in the world. Written in the seventeenth century by a Spanish Jesuit scholar, the teachings are strikingly modern in tone and address universal concerns such as friendship, morality, effective leadership, and how to manage one's emotions. The Art of Worldly Wisdom is for anyone seeking to combine ethical behavior with worldly success.
This edition includes an introduction by Willis Barnstone, former Distinguished Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature at Indiana University. Barnstone, a noted translator, critic, and poet, explores Gracian's background and places him within his historical and literary context. Like Sun Tzu's Art of War, Machiavelli's Prince, and Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, Gracian's Art of Worldly Wisdom is one of those rare books that serve as enlightening guides and companions for life.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Book.......2007-01-04
I heard about this book from an online newsletter. Some of it is very interesting, but the translation into English leaves something to be desired. Some of it is very obscure and difficult to understand. After awhile I found it to be repetitive and it got a bit boring.
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THE ART OF WORLDLY WISDOM.
Manufacturer: Macmillan (USA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HL58MM |
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THE ART OF WORLDLY WISDOM
Manufacturer: Frederick Ungar
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H4LNY6 |
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