On War

By: Carl von Clausewitz

Narrated by: Tony Honickberg

On War by the Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) is a classic of war and military strategy published in 1832. Some of the key concepts discussed in the book include: the methods of critical analysis, the uses and abuses of historical studies, the nature of the balance-of-power mechanism, the relationship between political objectives and military objectives in war, the asymmetrical relationship between attack and defense, strategic and operational "centers of gravity", the "culminating point of the offensive", and the "culminating point of victory". Von Clausewitz used historical examples to demonstrate the book’s concepts. Frederick the Great of Prussia and Napoleon Bonaparte are the central historical figures.

Public Domain (P)2021 Woodkeep Audio

Nothing lost in the shorter versions

I've been wanting to listen to this one for awhile. Unfortunately, I found myself appalled.

Carl von Clausewitz repeats himself constantly. In every sentence, two thirds of the words are unnecessary. In every paragraph, two thirds of the sentences are unnecessary. In every page, two thirds of the paragraphs are unnecessary, and in every chapter, two thirds of the pages are unnecessary.

There's a good book in here -- and it's the severely edited versions.