Reviewer Comments (Livelib Platform)

Crazylibrarian
January 20, 2022 22:36
What exactly was I thinking when I started reading this book? Maybe to learn more about Chinese stratagems? That’s if I go by the title. But everything is much simpler. Reflecting on the gaps in my knowledge, I wondered: Can I develop a mindset that allows me to win arguments, anticipate people’s actions, influence their opinions, and shape the world around me? It turns out I can! And to do that, I just need to learn to apply the 36 Chinese stratagems, which have roots in the distant past. A stratagem is an ingenious plan, a strategic maneuver, a clever move—in other words, what is commonly referred to as military tactics. The ancient Chinese had a treatise listing 36 tactics that their generals used to win battles. Interestingly, the stratagems never directly tell you what to do. They paint a general picture and hint at how to resolve a particular situation. So you have to choose the right stratagem for your own circumstances. I want to give an example of a stratagem that I think everyone knows and uses in modern life. The third stratagem: “Kill with a borrowed knife,” alternatively translated as “The alibi stratagem.” I think this phrase is understandable to anyone. This stratagem suggests defeating your opponent through the hands of another person. We have a well-known proverb that describes the same principle: “Grasp hot coals with someone else’s hands.” You need to make someone else do something for you, instead of doing it yourself. Your ultimate goal isn’t always to “kill” someone. Maybe, like Tom Sawyer, you just don’t want to paint the fence. I think everyone remembers that story. What I liked most about the book is how easily the author explains complex terms. Anna Marchuk tells us in accessible language what a stratagem is, where it came from, and how it evolved. In addition, each of the 36 stratagems is analyzed individually. Examples are given of how ancient Chinese generals used them to win battles. But what’s most interesting is how they can be applied in the modern world, no matter what goal you want to achieve. Stratagems are wisdom passed down through centuries, and who knows—maybe they will help you achieve what you desire in life! To be honest, I not only gained useful knowledge but also enjoyed reading a good book.

Juliya_Elizabeth
December 12, 2021 21:28
I expected more from this book. Maybe it’s me, or maybe the information is poorly structured. On the surface, each stratagem has its own theme and examples of how it can be applied in life. But in reality, it went in one ear and out the other. The ideas are sound and interesting, but nothing stuck in my mind.

bru_sia
August 2, 2025 12:23
The title of this review is a direct quote that best reflects the reader’s attitude toward the content. However, throughout the entire narrative, this book tries to convince you of how important it is to know how to take advantage of situations, cleverly mislead people, then take advantage of their confusion to seize personal gain at the expense of others—while being extremely proud of yourself and believing that winners are not judged, and losers are simply humiliated. The book refers to an ancient Chinese military treatise describing 36 military tactics (this is roughly how the foreign word “stratagem” can be translated for the average person), but immediately emphasizes that this is far from an exclusively ancient Chinese invention, and most great generals around the world have resorted to military tactics in one way or another to achieve their goals. Yet the author easily transitions from the conditions of war and open political conflict to everyday life issues: business is regarded as opposing sides, consumers as adversaries, employers as direct opponents of employees, and so on. Any life situation and any conflict in daily life is not seen as an opportunity for cooperation, demonstrating one’s best qualities, open dialogue, and finding a mutually beneficial compromise that satisfies all parties involved. Instead, it is viewed as a chance to show off one’s wit and power, do evil, suppress, disorient, or deceive the opponent in any other way. To confirm this thesis, I will quote another direct excerpt from the book: “Many people think the purpose of an argument is to win the argument. No. The purpose of an argument is to make the opponent do what you want. Understanding this significantly expands your arsenal of means.” The book also lacks fundamental novelty; it merely lists 36 tricks and provides other people’s examples of the applicability of each stratagem. There are numerous borrowings from Alexander Suvorov’s “The Science of Victory,” several Chinese original sources, Robert Cialdini’s “Influence” (which, by the way, I highly recommend reading instead of this book), as well as references to the strategic decisions and business model of the company “Euroset” (naturally, also in the context of stratagems). Thus, this is simply a compiled aggregation of other quite strong works without adding anything fundamentally new and unique to them. Some of the author’s claims are even questionable, for example: “Developers often intentionally leave small errors in the code that do not affect its functionality. This does not arouse suspicion, and they can use these errors to prove in court that the code belongs to them.” For someone directly involved in industrial development, this sounds completely amateurish and casts doubt on the author’s other statements (after all, they may be just as untenable). Unfortunately, reading this book was truly unpleasant. Perhaps some part of humanity really lives in a paradigm of constant manipulation of others and pursuit of individual interests, but personally, I absolutely cannot stand this disrespectful and extremely selfish, utilitarian attitude toward other people.

★ Interpreted by a rhetoric expert, this book bridges ancient military wisdom with modern scenarios, presenting content that is accessible and easy to understand.
★ Covers 36 practical strategies—from predicting actions to relieving pressure—helping readers navigate various life and competitive situations.
★ Combines ancient and contemporary case studies, including practical experiences of ancient generals and application methods for modern life, boasting strong practicality.

To be able to anticipate your opponent’s moves like an experienced chess player, quickly find decisive arguments in a dispute, and keep a reserve of unconventional tactics in your mind to navigate any situation. All this is completely achievable if you use the strategic methods bequeathed to us by one of the world’s oldest civilizations.

Anna Marchuk, a rhetoric expert and co-author of the electronic journal Teacher’s Assistant, invites readers to take a fresh look at one of the classic military treatises of ancient China—works comparable in significance to Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.”

The 36 Stratagems are 36 strategies, techniques, and ruses that will teach you to:
- Anticipate your own and others’ actions multiple steps ahead;
- Cleverly guide the opinions of those around you;
- Stand firm in the face of psychological pressure;
- Clearly know what to do in seemingly hopeless situations;
- Think like an ancient Chinese general and turn any situation to your advantage!