Off The Bookshelf UK - Books On War (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature) On War (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature) New & Used On War (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature)

Search Books - select a category

Buy On War (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature) online at Discounted New and Used prices. Delivered to your door with Off-The-Bookshelf.

On War (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature)
by: Carl Von Clausewitz

List Price: £3.99

Off The Bookshelf's Price: £3.79

You Save: £0.20 ( 5%)
Prices subject to change.

Used Price: £0.87
Collectible Price: £2.90
Third Party New Price: £0.88

Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9781853264825
ISBN: 1853264822
Label: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Manufacturer: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 400
Publication Date: July 01, 1997
Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Studio: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Sales Rank: 4424

Related Items:

The Utility of Force: The Art of War in the Modern World

Art of War, The: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World

Clausewitz: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Text on War
This is not an easy book to read nor understand. It takes several readings. A large investment in time will allow the reader to understand Clausewitz's system and the remarkable way that it stills aides in understanding the phenomenon of war. The text is adorned with many historical examples. Continuously emphasizing that war is 'a continuity of policy by other means. He has defined perfectly the theory of war, its tactical and strategic purposes. A must for an military or political leader.

Rating:

- Definitive work; Definitive translation
Technology has made the details of Clausewitz's work obsolescent -- for example night attacks by US forces are highly effective. And strategic nuclear war approaches what Von Clausewitz thought merely an abstraction: "absolute war." Nonetheless, "On War" remains the definitive text on the unchanging fundamentals of military strategy and the relationship of force and policy.

"On War" will always be a dense and difficult work to read; it has so much information in so (comparatively) little space, and the concepts are frequently new to modern eyes. Nonetheless, a great translation makes the book far more accessible than does a poor one (such as the Wordsworth edition uses). The Howard/Paret translation is the definitive English language ... Read More:

Rating:

- too tough
Having read The Prince and The Art of War I thought I could handle this book. I was wrong. It's so dense, so indecipherable. You'll find you've read a whole page and you have no idea what it was about.

Rating:

- When it comes to war, Clausewitz wrote the book
Clausewitz treats war as a natural, social organism, which can best be understood by practical experience. In reaction to the attempts by Jomini and other strategists to rationalize the theory and practice of war into discernible, scientific laws, Clausewitz emphasizes the capriciousness of warfare. As in all human endeavors, chance is a random variable in the conduct of war. Implicit in Clausewitzian thought is a distinction between strategy and tactics. While certain principles are useful for tactical calculations, Clausewitz asserts that no "laws" for strategy exist; experience, though, can prove of great use to the military commander. Another Clausewitzian innovation is the idea that defense is a stronger form of war than offense. In defensive warfare, ... Read More:

Rating:

- The Definitive Translation...
Without going into the details and virtues of Clusewitz's work (suffice to say that whether you agree with what he says or not, this is compulsory reading for anyone interested in war and strategy) I think it's important to point out that this particular translation (by Sir Michael Howard and Peter Paret) is widely acclaimed as far and away the best English language translation available. If you are considering getting hold of On War (especially if you are going to be studying it formally), put your hand in your pocket and get this version.

Books : On War (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature)