Gerald A Michaelson is a leading authority in the first and most renowed self-help book the world has ever seen ie Sun Tzu's The Art Of War. This is a rare and outstanding book. In this book, Michaelson masterfully extrapolated Sun Tzu's teachings for personal development and success in a language everybody could understand. It is thus a must reading for everyone who seeks to emulate Sun Tzu's principal solution viz win-win solution. In another words, Sun Tzu emphasises on winning with strategy and this is a counterpoint to the more action-oriented western thinking.

I was looking for books on strategy and I already knew the name of Sun Tzu. The Chinese edition I have with assertions is wordy and complicated so I do not quite grasping the ideas. It happened I saw this book in a bookstore. The book title with the Chinese characters (Sun Tzu) on the cover drew my attention. The translation and structure of the book is great and easy to read. The second part of the book has great outputs that apply the concepts to the current time. "In Summary" in each chapter is concise and it touches the concepts well. Overall the book is well structured and easy to comprehend. It provides foundation and space to readers that allow them to explore the subject further.

I was looking for books on strategy and I already knew the name of Sun Tzu. The Chinese edition I have with assertions is wordy and complicated so I do not quite grasping the ideas. It happened I saw this book in a bookstore. The book title with the Chinese characters (Sun Tzu) on the cover drew my attention. The translation and structure of the book is great and easy to read. The second part of the book has great outputs that apply the concepts to the current time. "In Summary" in each chapter is concise and it touches the concepts well. Overall the book is well structured and easy to comprehend. It provides foundation and space to readers that allow them to explore the subject further.

Michaelson's book Sun Tzu for Success really helps the beginner understand what Sun Tzu's AOW is all about. The first chapter includes an entire translation of STAOW. The chapters following that are analyses and interpretations of the AOW's meaning and how they can be applied to one's personal or professional life. A significant amount of the interpretation is what most Sun Tzu's followers have heard time and time again. In that sense, the book is nothing new. However, very few books give examples of how these concepts apply to the real world, giving this book its own niche. If you are a beginner and only want to buy one Sun Tzu book, this one should be it.

I bought this book last week while on vacation in Miami, and finished it in three days (that says something considering this was supposed to be my vacation).

I have been in business for 16 years and have read business books of all kinds; however, in the end, this one stands alone as the best I have ever known.

Michaelson takes the principles of Sun Tzu and wraps around them the basic drivers of success: planning, persistence, discipline, etc. In the end, I realized that I hadn't heard anything that I'd previously not known - rather, it was simply being iterated in a way that, to me, was much more effective.

Basically, the book simplifies what many have often made too complicated: the process of uncovering the steps (not secrets, because there are none)to success. Why are some people far and away more successful than others? Is it who they know or is it what they do (the argument of the ages)? Actually, it's both - surrounding oneself with the right people (a network, according to Michaelson) is just as important as creating a plan, sticking to it, and moving on it immediately. Procrastinators will surely benefit from the principles outlined in this wonderful book because procrastination is simply not acceptable, according to Sun Tzu.

My copy is now completely highlighted, as I spent the better part of three days making notes and going over the salient points that warrant reference in the future.

This is my new carry-anywhere book. It will be my #1 reference point from now on. It's simply too valuable a tool not to have.