Its density and breadth took me by surprise. He does a great job analyzing various wars, battles, political campaigns, career trajectories and finding common themes among them all. The book, ultimately, is about the importance of balanced strategy, and how it has been applied and should be applied in the the real world.

I've heard people compare it to Art of War, but that comparison is not proper. This book is driven by Greene's interpretation of actual historical events and literature (Art of War is indeed heavily quoted).

I think this quote by Helmuth von Moltke in the book describes the book's motivation best:

> [Strategy] is more than a science: it is the application of knowledge to practical life, the development of thought capable of modifying the original guiding idea in the light of ever-changing situations; it is the art of acting under the pressure of the most difficult conditions.