Judo - 41 Lessons in the Modern Science of Jiu-Jitsu

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. Shozo Kuwashima is one of the pioneers of American judo. He was born in Japan in 1893, but moved to USA in 1916. He taught judo in California until the mid-thirties, before heading to New York and Chicago. It is Kuwashima who founded Chicago Judo Club in 1941.

Here you have two versions of the same book - the content of the two being identical. The upper, red one is American, printed in USA in1966 (19th edition). Originally it was issued 1938. The 7th edition in 1943 was the first to be what they termed "enlarged edition". I can't tell you exactly what has been added, but I would guess that it is (taken from the introduction): "..additional movements and information, some of which will be of particular use to men in the armed forces." Uchi mata, tomoe nage og koshi guruma for army personell...? With combat boots, heavy uniform, backpacks, weapons and more... Dear me, I guess I'm the one not being competent enough to battle-test that stuff.

The lower, pale red edition is English. Here it was printed 1949 for the first time, while the book you are seing here is from 1951. Like I said, the two are identical (content-wise). In other words: the British printing is an "enlarged edition". It is interesting to notice that the pictures are of lesser quality in the upper/newer printing. The original material and pictures was probably lost at some point, because it looks as though the newer book is a copy of an original.

I will not under any circumstance be tempted to comment on the judo technical side of this book. I will guess that this bit is well in place. But the ju jitsu part however is, how shall I put it, not quite in place.

This is one of those judo-/ju jitsu books that try to be everything to everyone, and falls dead in it's track. To me it is a great study in how not to present material in a manual. The techniques are quite good at places. You will definitely find valuable things here! Further the methods ar described logically through text as well as pictures. What lowers the impression is the lack of a logical progression or overall idea. At least I can't find the thread from one method to the next. It is more like a collection of techniques.

Any martial arts nerd (like I am) could well need this book. As always I advice you do a search on Abebooks.

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