In short, this book needed a better editor. Even so, the best General could still lose by ignoring alliances and/or being undermined by their enemy. And written by a deep expert in the field who has the most incredible insights into the possibilities and limitations of strategic thought. FREE Returns. This should be taken as criticism only if you're not supremely enthused by the prospect of drowning yourself in a millennia-spanning history of strategic thinking. It is magnificent in its amazing scope, with short summaries and interesting insights on practically every strategic thinker in history, and many others who are not thought of as strategists, but whom Freedman rightly and insightfully includes. A very ambitious and mammoth work, Freedman attempts to espouse, in a single volume, all the various forms of strategy, under every respective lens, and pretty much succeeds. 1994, and that he made a 'number of false starts' with the manuscript. I ended up taking a break from this book when it seemed to stall on the rise of communism, which despite being in. Review the history of strategy—the art of creating power—in this audio-only summary of the book by Sir Lawrence Freedman, a leading authority on war and strategic analysis. To exploit it is diplomacy – vicious diplomacy, but diplomacy.” “Arms control” was coined in the 50’s. If Strategy is viewing the world from 30,000 feet, then stepping back and analyzing strategy is going higher to 50,000 feet. Once it started covering 20th century american politics however, I found it riveting. Originally, arms control was how war planners would get their Ken and Barbie to kiss during pentagon coffee breaks, but planners soon found a military use for it as well. The range of Freedman's narrative is extraordinary, moving from the surprisingly advanced … Well worth a read, particularly if you work in a world where the word strategy appears nebulous and over used . Those holding power & weaponry favor “bie” while the colonized & oppressed favor “metis”. But I think it has major implications for how we think about strategy, how we plan our own lives not to mention those of our country, region, business etc. Buy Strategy: A History at Desertcart. I loved this book. Be warned: venture into the den of this beast without a strategy, and it might consume you instead. Strategy is a big book that doesn’t really seem to say much. Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? Turned out to be a lot more about management than strategy towards the end. Buy from Amazon.com. The development of professional revolutionaries was, along with the Napoleonic Wars, a consequence of the great French Revolution of 1789. Those holding power & weaponry favor “bie” while the colonized & oppressed favor “metis”. An impressive book and a worthwhile read. In short, this book needed a better editor. Spends the first chunk on military history, The second chunk on strategy from below (revolutionaries, labor, and activists on behalf of the powerless or the powerless themselves), and strategy from above (owners, and potentates, CEOs, and managers using strategy to break the power of those below them for control, power, and profit.) original sources. Reason. Great book - very insightful! Before 1800, Generals had to be on the battlefield because communication was slow. (Not to say I didn't learn some things--I did.) 2013, Strategy : a history / Lawrence Freedman Oxford University Press Oxford ; New York. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Strategy: A History is a sweeping, magisterial account of this elemental force in human history. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Strategy& has a proud history in consulting, built on a 100-year legacy. For that reason, there were few ideas in his tracing the development of strategic thought in military operations I was unfamiliar with. Lawrence’s military analysis is pretty solid (more for the anicent stuff than the modern), but when he tries to extrapolate into social movements and business strategy stuff in the second half of the book, he lost me. Not very good. Lawrence’s military analysis is pretty solid (more for the anicent stuff than the modern), but when he tries to extrapolate into social movements and business strategy stuff in the second half of the book, he lost me. As such the book is about 2.3s too long. But if you're deeply interested in strategy and building models of and for strategic thinking, you're in for an exhausting and worthwhile journey. Jomini and Clausewitz echoed the Napoleonic total-war schtick. I suspect there are probably better shorter books about the topic. … —Mike Tyson”, Duke of Westminster Medal for Military Literature Nominee (2014). For example, while I have read deeply in military history, allusions to corporate "offensives" seem to me to mask a lack of subs. This book attempts to provide a history of "strategy" in all of its varied meanings, spanning from classical literature, to traditional military strategy, to political strategy, to modern business and organizational strategy. 1994, and that he made a 'number of false starts' with the manuscript. At over 700 pages, the book is a daunting prospect, but is saved from being a dry academic tome by the lithe jauntiness of a world-class heavyweight writing at the peak of his career. Not very good. We’d love your help. It actually started out well, but quickly devolved into saying the same things over and over in every chapter. Ideas of strategists varied; Liddell-Hart thought you should avoid battle while Fuller felt battle was the likely source of victory. I was always saddened Herve Villechaize did not live to play Napoleon, a great loss for comedic film fans. Strategy is more a coping mechanism than an assertion of total control. In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. Later in the book I enjoyed the discussion of how large corporations plan to market their products and how they expect to be more than a match for their competition. … To do otherwise is to succumb to fatalism."" I mean much of human interaction depends on cooperation but also a lot of conflicts, and competition, and a mix of competition and cooperation, especially between groups and interests. Think of strategy as Homer’s “bie” vs “metis” or strength vs smarts or courage vs imagination, or direct vs. indirect warfare. All interesting, but not at the core of what i personally find most interesting. - I was extremely disappointed with this one. That pithy line from Mike Tyson is the opening salvo in Lawrence Freedman’s book, Strategy: A History – and it’s a well-chosen shot from the professor of war studies at King’s College, London. Different people, different situations, same results. In fact, the book is mis-titled, because it is not about strategy, but about theories of strategy. The book traces the origins of what might be called Strategy, which the author defines as the “art of creating power”, then explores the historical development of strategy in different domains, and ends with musings on how the concept of strategy evolved to what it might actually be considered today. The development of the atomic bomb by both sides raised a novel short-lived idea, why not try to avoid wars? Submit Close. Give yourself a good 35 hours to read this one though, its long. It was long, wordy, interesting, and comprehensive. All the world’s a stage. (Not to say I didn't learn some things--I did.) This should be taken as criticism only if you're not supremely enthused by the prospect of drowning yourself in a millennia-spanning history of strategic thinking. It is magnificent in its amazing scope, with short summaries and interesting insights on practically every strategic thinker in history, and many others who are not thought of as strategists, but whom Freedman rightly and insightfully includes. Go too far, and as Churchill would say, “All you are going to do is make the rubble bounce”. I was amazed by the breath presented by the author and feel like if these themes were expanded further, exploited deeper, i would not touch this except in holidays. By Lawrence Freedman. Strategy is an abused-maybe even worn out- term. Selected as a Financial Times Best Book of 2013. In writing this book the author read more books than i could ever hope too. Dude. It is a good read for someone like me, who has had exposure to currents of strategy in different settings (history, geopolitics, politics, business) and would like to see how the dots connect. Start by marking “Strategy: A History” as Want to Read: Error rating book. This is a re-read from when it first came out, but at 700+ pages (or 32 hours for the audio version) i'm claiming it. Lawrence Freedman does not play. Strategy: A History. In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. Sir Lawrence David Freedman, KCMG, CBE, PC, FBA is Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London. It may be little more than a dignified way of "muddling through". ProductId : 13540060. Alex Danchev's On Art and War and Terror is published by Edinburgh University Press. The problem once you get to that height is that the air is rather thin up there and concepts that seemed concrete start to appear more random and abstract. There are, of course, obvious areas of some similarities but there are also many many differences. Sun Tzu said all war is based on deception – lying to one’s soldiers to boost their morale is common, lying to your people to start a war is common, and we haven’t yet even discussed lying to the enem. Uncovers the main delusions strategists fall prey to and even questions if strategy is possible much of the time. This book is a bruiser, yet I left with more than I honestly expected going into it. And written by a deep expert in the field who has the most incredible insights into the possibilities and limitations of strategic thought. {{Citation | title=Strategy : a history / Lawrence Freedman | author1=Freedman, Lawrence | author2=EBSCOhost | year=2013 | publisher=Oxford University Press | isbn=9780199349906 | … October 2nd 2013 For that reason, there were few ideas in his tracing the development of strategic thought in military operations I was unfamiliar with. In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. Only attack will achieve the goals of war - something every Facebook troll today understands w/o reading Clausewitz. There’s also not much original content in here - the book is largely a summary of some (better written!) But this is a huge, exhaustive study of the subject which gives political strategy, particularly revolutionary politics, and business strategy equal weight with strategy's military application. At times, the author's writing style made it hard to follow the thread of his arguments (tendency for long sentences and listing). Our rich professional culture is built on more than a century’s experience. This book takes the reader from Ancient Greece to MLK Jr., from Henry Ford to Michael Porter, giving him or her insights from the history of strategy. This book is both magnificent and maddening. "Strategy: A History, is an ambitious and sprawling book by a British military historian who has written widely, and very well, about nuclear and cold war strategy, the Falklands War, and contemporary military affairs, among other subjects... With admirable candor, Freedman tells us that he received the contract for this book in (gulp!) Hey t is very well researched and does a decent job of summarizing various strategies deployed in history. In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. Well worth the effort. In writing this book the author read more books than i could ever hope too. It could have been said in a whole lot less space. This book is LONG and so broad. captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. Rich in detail and deeply contextualising, this book is not only the longest but also the most diverse work in recent years on the evolution of strategy. Wikipedia Citation. entjs. Having some familiarity with these literature areas, I was intrigued with the idea but somewhat skeptical about the prospects for such a project. Strategy is the art of overcoming resistance and it must take into account such a vast number of complex variables that it makes one believe that chance and dumb luck play just as much of a role as exemplary planning. Follow. It certainly is a grand sweep through history - from Sun Tzu, the Greeks, and the Bible all the way up to the current day. Frankly, I hate wrestling with power and competition however it seems endemic through much of history and is definitely present in the current moment and I wish it would go away but I don't think I will be writing off military history and books about conflict whether class or geopolitical anytime soon. FREE Delivery Across Canada. Be the first to ask a question about Strategy. Strategy is not a science but an art. Very broad ranging (if fairly ethnocentric) account of the emergence of strategy as a concept and it spread from the military into politics and business. A block buster history of strategy covering almost every conceivable aspect of the subject in great detail: military, political, business and personal. Having some familiarity with these literature areas, I was intrigued with the idea but somewhat skeptical about the prospects for such a project. It is maddening in its failure to actually address the question of what strategy is best, under what conditions. The more you obliterate your opponent the more marginal returns you get on your investment. Covers the main thinkers in this field and the application of their thought in the real world. Selected as a Financial Times Best Book of 2013 In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. Towards the end, the author says "The world of strategy is full of disappointment and frustration, of means not working and ends not reached.” I certainly u. However, this i can overlook due to the amount of knowledge contained within the book. Sun Tzu said all war is based on deception – lying to one’s soldiers to boost their morale is common, lying to your people to start a war is common, and we haven’t yet even discussed lying to the enemy. Though this became the inspiration and benchmark for all revolutions that followed, it was not the result of a plot or the culmination of any deliberate strategy. Hey t is very well researched and does a decent job of summarizing various strategies deployed. Strategy : a history In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. I will have to reread some day as there is a lot of wisdom. Oxford University Press USA; 751 pages; $34.95. This thing is EPIC. The section in war strategy was good, revolutionary strategy was ok, business strategy was not great, strategy theory was interesting but ended weak. Welcome back. In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. It also becomes boring. Recent Top. It was long, wordy, interesting, and comprehensive. Can’t recommend for reading, but might be worth browsing in the library. Be warned: venture into the den of this beast without a strategy, and it might consume you instead. This book is both magnificent and maddening. I've read a lot about military strategy in the last few years, even previous works by Freedman which touch on the subject, albeit less comprehensively than Strategy: A History. Refresh and try again. Lawrence has created a truly monstrous thing, which is a book as much as a saddled velociraptor is a racehorse. It is a good read for someone like me, who has had exposure to currents of strategy in different settings (history, geopolitics, politics, business) and would like to see how the dots connect. I mean much of human interaction depends on cooperation but also a lot of conflicts, and competition, and a mix of competition and c. The use of strategy in history. The use of strategy in history. Theories and theorist are repetitively mentioned ad nauseum. E-book Strategy: A History PDF Ebook Description Selected as a Financial Times Best Book of 2013In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives.The range of Freedman's narrative is extraordinary, moving from the surprisingly advanced strategy … I found the book hard to digest. Review the history of strategy—the art of creating power—in this audio-only summary of the book by Sir Lawrence Freedman, a leading authority on war and strategic analysis. It actually started out well, but quickly devolved into saying the same things over and over in every chapter. This book attempts to provide a history of "strategy" in all of its varied meanings, spanning from classical literature, to traditional military strategy, to political strategy, to modern business and organizational strategy. In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. It certainly is a grand sweep through history - from Sun Tzu, the Greeks, and the Bible all the way up to the current day. In Strategy: A History, Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on war and international politics, captures the vast history of strategic thinking, in a consistently engaging and insightful account of how strategy came to pervade every aspect of our lives. Theories and theorist are repetitively mentioned ad nauseum. 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