This is the third different edition of The Art of War I have purchased on Amazon. They say the third time is the charm, and in this case, I can't argue with that. The first volume I purchased was the cheap $3.99 version. They also say you get what you pay for. The book was so small, it could fit in my front pocket. The paper was so thin that if you exhale, it might shred. Needless to say, I returned it immediately.
The second book I purchased was the 6.99 edition. This was slightly better, but I found I could not concentrate on the teachings of Sun Tzu, because of the way the translation was presented. Additionally, the book also looked kind of cheap. I wasn't sure I wanted to have it in my library, even if I could get past the questionable presentation of the teachings of Sun Tzu. So, after a few days I returned the $6.99 edition to Amazon.
Upon receiving this edition, I knew immediately that it was more of what I was looking to have, both to read and to add to my library. It's a full-size paperback, not a teeny tiny stocking stuffer. The introduction was very modern, unlike the other 2 books, and it traced the impact this book has had over the centuries. It also contains 2 version of The Art of War, with and without footnotes, making it easy to pick how deep you want to go into the subject matter. I would definitely recommend shelling out a few extra bucks for something you can be proud to have in your library.