Book Review: Sun Tzu Was A Sissy

By Stanley Bing

Before I start on the review, let me expound why it is very pleasant to read books right now. The weather is perfect for it. It's raining outside, so stepping out is difficult, if you're a walker like me. A walk in the rain loses it's charm if you're walking a good 2-5 kilometers to anywhere, and getting splashed with muddy water loses it's charm after the first couple of times. Secondly, the temprature is in the mid twenties for the better part of the day and there's a nice cool breeze blowing. This I shall call "Critical Reading Temprature": the point at which you can curl up on the couch with a realm of written word and flip page after page, stopping only to munch on some nice biscuits, or to take a short nap.
Needless to say, it's been some time since I did all this and I lapped up the experience. The Biscuits, before not present in the house, have now arrived to enhance my reading experience.
To the book.

Sun Tzu Was a Wussy is an amazing read. This is not, however, because it is a good book. It's a terrible book, godawful doesn't even begin to describe it. It's supposed to be self help, and I just kept breaking out into chuckles all through. It's basically Kill Bill Meets Dilbert with Blatant Americanism thrown in. This is the "Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure" of Management Books, it's so terrible it's actually quite endearing. It also has a total abscence of content, which it makes up for by adding quotes, insane amounts of useless but hilarious graphs, charts and bar diagrams and of course, quotations from Sun Tzu.

In case you are unaware of the man himself, Sun Tzu was the Chanakya of China. His Art of War is the general accepted godbook of managers, generals and anyone who wants to win a fight anywhere. His writings are not in anyway, that of a Sissy and the Art of War is one of the books I had the misfortune of reading before I was old enough for it. This has resulted in my becoming a powerhungry chinese warlord which explains why I'm off to Singapore in a month's time. His basic philosophy in life was strategize and plan and don't enter a fight untill you are assured of victory. Which is why I'm still waiting and planning, so watch out the lot of you who have crossed me. I'm not done yet. But I digress.

The Author, Stanley Bing, makes up for his total lack of sense and intelligence by repeating time and time again that Sun Tzu's time has passed, and we must all be ready to scruff up and get down and dirty for a good fight. His writing style is incredibly aggressive, which makes it all the more funny.

Bottom Line: Worth it for the read, but under no circumstances should you follow the advice. Be a sissy, in my opinion, it'll get you a lot further than the "Real Art of War".