The Essential Classics for Leaders: Tao Te Ching, The Art of War, Meditations, and The Prince with an Introduction by Nicholas Tamblyn, and Illustrations by Katherine Eglund

Presenting The Essential Classics for Leaders: Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, and The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli with an introduction by Nicholas Tamblyn, and illustrations by Katherine Eglund. This collection is part of The Essential Series by Golding Books.

There are certain books of antiquity that have risen to the status of required readings for those interested in effective leadership. The Tao Te Ching, The Art of War, Meditations, and The Prince have achieved this rare renown, influencing countless changemakers and leaders throughout history.

A leader will be faced with all kinds of challenges, some unforeseen. These texts emphasize that the best way to command or sway others is through a prudence that does not always err on the side of leniency or severity, but rather on that of knowledge and flexibility.

Along with strength of character, an effective leader also possesses the ability to adapt and therefore to take informed, needful, and decisive action. Both Taoism and Machiavellianism note that personal development and, by extension, business management are essentially careful thought followed by swift action.

If you are focused on becoming a leader and seek words of wisdom and encouragement on how to lead, the teachings of classic Eastern philosophy (or Chinese philosophy), ancient Roman philosophy and more recent Italian philosophy each have something powerful to teach us. This inspirational collection is the perfect great leader gift for women and men, bosses and employees and the experienced as well as up and comers, rare among leadership books for young adults, ambitious teens, or those long in the workforce).

Lao Tzu was an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer born in the 6th–5th century BCE, reputed author of the Tao Te Ching (published 6th Century BCE) and founder of the School of the Tao or Taoism. The main source of information on Lao Tzu’s life is a biography written by the historian Sima Qian (145–86 BCE), where he referred to earlier accounts, such as one noting that Lao Tzu was a contemporary of Confucius. However, some scholars doubt the historicity of Lao Tzu, and so his life, if he existed, remains shrouded in mystery.

Sun Tzu was an ancient Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher, who is believed to have written the famous ancient book on military strategy, The Art of War. He lived in the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China, and his birth year is given by tradition as 544 BC. While the book has become immensely popular through to today, there is little to no certainty about Sun Tzu’s claim to its authorship, or the veracity of details about his life.

Marcus Aurelius was born in 121 in Rome. His original name was Marcus Annius Verus, and he was born into a wealthy and political family. A dedicated student, he became a Stoic, a philosophy which emphasized self-restraint, fate, and reason. He was chosen by Emperor Hadrian to be his eventual successor, and in 161, Aurelius took control of the Roman Empire along with his brother Verus, assuming the name Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus. His rule suffered the threat of war and disease, and, while Rome was held, his rule weakened after the death of his brother. His son Commodus became co-ruler in 177 (having been named Caesar in 166), and Aurelius died after a repeated bout of illness in 180.

Niccolò Machiavelli was born in 1469 in Florence, Italy. He was a diplomat for fourteen years in the Florentine Republic during the Medici family's exile. When the Medicis returned to power in 1512, he was dismissed and jailed for three weeks, during which time he was subjected to the "strappado," or ropes used for hanging torture. He wrote The Prince, a political handbook for self-serving and ruthless leaders that became a philosophy classic on leadership, in 1532. He died in Florence in 1527.