Basic Books

A quintessential guide to strategy, The Art of War has influenced leaders for over a thousand years. Beyond the battlefield, people have long turned to its wisdom for advice on succeeding in competitive situations, and companies worldwide now make this book required reading for their executives. Ralph Sawyer's compelling translation and expert annotations bring to life for modern readers Sun Tzu's masterful insights on conflict, competition, and human dynamics. Readers will discover a rich perspective steeped in centuries of military thought, making ancient wisdom resonate in today's world. An invaluable resource for anyone seeking to refine their decision-making and leadership skills, this elegant hardcover edition invites repeated engagement, enhancing any collection with its timeless principles and captivating design.

Blending Buddhism and psychotherapy, acclaimed psychiatrist Mark Epstein shows how to radically transform your emotional life "One of the most sophisticated integrations of the therapeutic and spiritual disciplines." --New York Times Today, the benefits of meditation practices like mindfulness and deep breathing are widely recognized by mainstream therapists. But what does Buddhist insight actually look like, how does it intersect with classic Western psychotherapy, and what can a synthesis of both traditions offer you? In this landmark book, acclaimed psychotherapist Mark Epstein lays out the path to meditation-inspired healing. At the heart of Epstein's exploration is the concept of the "self," which Buddhism exposes as an illusory construct that breeds emotional suffering. With great clarity and insight, Epstein demonstrates how Buddhism and psychotherapy can be used in powerful tandem to loosen our attachment to the self and thereby free ourselves to experience real joy. Now update

The definitive translation of Plato's Republic, the most influential text in the history of Western philosophy "No one else has even come close to balancing Bloom's fidelity to Greek with intelligible English prose."--National Review Long regarded as the most accurate rendering of Plato's Republic that has yet been published, this widely acclaimed translation by Allan Bloom was the first to take a strictly literal approach. In addition to the annotated text, there is also a rich and valuable essay--as well as indices--which will enable readers to better understand the heart of Plato's intention. This edition includes an introduction by renowned critic Adam Kirsch, setting the work in its intellectual context for a new generation of students and readers.

The definitive history of Japanese organized crime, from its origins in samurai-era black markets and gambling rings to the shadowy syndicates of the present Japan's gangster groups, known collectively as the yakuza, are among the oldest underworld societies in the world. With military-style organization and a code of absolute obedience, they have run Japan's black markets for centuries. They have remained strikingly conspicuous in Japanese society, and as a cultural force beyond Japan, with movies and video games celebrating their exploits globally. Andrew Rankin offers the first comprehensive history of the yakuza, from their emergence out of seventeenth-century samurai gang culture to the present day. Though their activities have always encompassed illegal gambling and sex trafficking, the yakuza have also aggressively maintained business interests in private security, the construction industry, the entertainment industry, and debt collection. Yakuza bosses acquired a degree of legi

From Salesforce's chief ethical and humane use officer, a prescriptive guide for how to integrate AI into the workplace effectively AI technology has rapidly advanced from automation to generative tools to autonomous agents. Business leaders are increasingly excited about the potential of AI but also worried about the risks. At a time when AI can both radically increase productivity and set off a PR nightmare, where can executives and managers turn for tactical advice that cuts through the hype? Manage the Machine is a practical guide to effectively integrating AI into work, in business domains ranging from sales to corporate strategy to HR. Paula Goldman, chief ethical and humane use officer at Salesforce, shows how to get the best from AI and people working together, with examples from leading companies like Walmart, Grubhub, and Harley-Davidson. She provides clear guidance for determining which tasks can be safely delegated to AI and where humans should take the lead--for example, b

A major new history of Asia's Second World War Blood Dawn offers a momentous new history of World War II in Asia. Drawing on deep archival research across continents, historian Hans van de Ven tells the dramatic story of how Asia's people mobilized to defeat both Japanese aggression and European imperialism, forging modern Asia in the process. By the early twentieth century, from India to China, Western imperial powers dominated Asia. Then, in the 1930s, Japan began to tear down this old order in pursuit of its own imperial ambitions--first by invading China, and then by launching its assault against British, Dutch, and American outposts across Asia and the Pacific in December 1941. As Japanese forces seized vast swaths of territory and pressed toward India, the brutal fighting cost millions of lives across the continent. Simultaneously, the war's chaos and suffering supercharged anti-colonial movements from British India to Dutch Indonesia. Ultimately, it was the charismatic leaders o

A provocative history of how nation states arose out of the ashes of World War II, showing how catastrophe, compromise, and contested visions forged the fragile order we still live in today Nation states--self-contained territories with their own economy, population, and culture--dominate today's world. Nationalists claim the modern nation state is rooted in deep historical time, while many scholars say it was a nineteenth-century creation. In Out of Chaos, historian Jon Wilson challenges these narratives, arguing instead that the nation state emerged suddenly and unexpectedly in the years following World War II and brought order to a world in crisis. Wilson traces how political leaders still reeling from the chaos of war debated how to partition the people, land, and economies of the world. The nation state emerged as the only form of organization leaders from different ideological positions--communist and capitalist, former colonizer and former colonized--could agree upon. But this n