Book: Strategic Fundamentals, Guo Tisheng and Lu Wen 1983, Yutopian 1999.
Pros: Every topic is introduced by some valuable text about strategic wisdom. The book emphasizes urgent moves and provides the reader with a good feeling for them. One is not only reminded of the importance of sente but also learns about associated aspects and reasons to have or gain the initiative. Important attack and defense principles are illustrated at some length. The book is rounded off with appreciations of life and death, sacrifices, shapes, positional judgement, and an index covering proverbs as well.
Neutral: While the contents is for single digit kyus and dans, the book format restricts presentation of details so that you get the more out of the book the stronger you are, what might not be too surprising... One should try to generalize the offered examples.
Cons: The structure in chapters is arbitrary, a chapter territory vs. influence is missing, some commentaries of the type "C is good but can wait" are superfluous. A great nuisance is that most diagram comments are on wrong pages.
Recommendation: If you are familiar with the contents of Attack and Defense and Strategic Concepts, then Strategic Fundamentals is an attractive addition. However, unlike the two other books, it is not a book you would buy if your rate should be one per year. If you prefer military wisdom, you would rather read 36 Strategems.
Date: 1999/07/19