The Art of War for Parents

By Alan Schwartz

The Art of War has been described as the "the oldest military treatise in the world". Recent research, however, suggests that Sun Tzu wrote it to celebrate his youngest child obtaining gainful employment and (finally) moving out of the house. Thinly veiled as a manual for military leaders, this crowning achievement in classical Chinese literature has now been restored to its original purpose: providing advice to those who would undertake the dangers and rigors of parenting. In this new edition, Sun Tzu's true wisdom is again made available to struggling parents everywhere. (Makes a great gift for Mother's or Father's day!)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alan Schwartz
• Release date: Mar 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458099495

Alan Schwartz

I spend much of my time studying how doctors and patients make decisions and how to help make them better, as a professor of medical decision making in the Departments of Medical Education and Pediatrics at the University of Illinois at Chicago medical school. But in the time that's left, I enjoy skiing, reading, writing (of course!), MUSHing, playing bridge, knitting, Freemasonry, nethack, good food, homebrewing, and board games. I live in the Chicago area with my wife, son, and labrador.

Book preview

The Art of War (for Parents)

Alan Schwartz

Copyright 2011 Alan Schwartz

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

The Art of War has been described as the the oldest military treatise in the world by Lionel Giles, its 1910 English translator. Mr. Giles, however, failed to appreciate the key point about Sun Tzu's work, which was that it was written on the occasion of the author's last child obtaining gainful employment, thus ending Sun Tzu's forays into child-raising. Thinly veiled as a manual for military leaders, this crowning achievement in classical Chinese literature actually sought to advise those who would undertake the dangers and rigors of parenting.

We are pleased to have the opportunity to provide highlights from a restored version, in which Mr. Giles's failure to appreciate the true import of the work has been corrected.

Chapter I. Laying Plans

1. The art of war is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the house