Alcoholics Anonymous : the story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism

Summary: Originally published in 1939, when A.A. membership numbered about one hundred, "Alcoholics Anonymous" has steadily grown in readership. By the time the second edition appeared in 1955, membership had reached over 150,000, and the "Big Book," A.A. members' fond title for their basic text, had reached a distribution of more than 300,000. At the time of the third edition, in March 1976, the worldwide membership of A.A. was estimated at 1,000,000 or more. Copies of "Alcoholics Anonymous" in circulation exceeded 1,450,000. In 1995, the General Service Conference approved the recommendation: "The first 164 pages of the Big Book, 'Alcoholics Anonymous,' the preface, the forewords, 'The doctor's opinion,' 'Doctor Bob's nightmare' and the appendices remain as is." The section of personal stories was updated with new stories in the second and third editions in order to reflect the wider age range and different life experiences of alcoholics over the years since 1935, when Bill W. met Dr. Bob and the message of A.A. was born. As Bill W. wrote in a 1953 letter: "The story section of the Big Book is far more important than most of us think. It is our principal means of identifying with the reader outside A.A.; it is the written equivalent of hearing speakers at an A.A. meeting; it is our show window of results." Continuing this policy, the fourth edition includes twenty-four new stories that provide contemporary sharing for newcomers seeking recovery from alcoholism in A.A. during the early years of the 21st century. Seventeen stories are retained from the third edition, including the "Pioneers of A.A." section, which helps the reader remian linked to A.A.'s historic roots, and shows how early members applied this simple but profound program that helps alcoholics get sober today. Approximately 21 million copies of the first three editions of "Alcoholics Anonymous" have been distributed. It is expected that the new fourth edition will play its part in passing on A.A.'s basic message of recovery. This fourth edition has been approved by the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous, in the hope that many more may be led toward recovery by reading its explanation of the A.A. program and its varied examples of personal experiecnes which demonstrate that the A.A. program works. -- Cover.

Record details

ISBN: 9781893007161 (hc.)
ISBN: 1893007162
Physical Description: xxxii, 575 p. ; 22 cm.
print
Edition: 4th ed.
Publisher: New York City : Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, 2001.

Content descriptions

Formatted Contents Note:

Preface -- Foreword to first edition -- Foreword to second edition -- Foreword to third edition -- Foreword to fourth edition -- The doctor's opinion -- ch. 1. Bill's story -- ch. 2. There is a solution -- ch. 3. More about alcoholism -- ch. 4. We agnostics -- ch. 5. How it works -- ch. 6. Into action -- ch. 7. Working with others -- ch. 8. To wives -- ch. 9. The family afterward -- ch. 10. To employers -- ch. 11. A vision for you -- Personal stories -- pt. 1. Pioneers of A.A. -- Doctor Bob's nightmare -- 1. Alcoholic anonymous number three -- 2. Gratitude in action -- 3. Women suffer too -- 4. Our southern friend -- 5. The vicious cycle -- 6. Jim's story -- 7. The man who mastered fear -- 8. He sold himself short -- 9. The keys of the kingdom -- pt. 2. They stopped in time -- 1. The missing link -- 2. Fear of fear -- 3. The housewife who drank at home -- 4. Physician, heal thyself! -- 5. My chance to live -- 6. Student of life -- 7. Crossing the river of denial -- 8. Because I'm an alcoholic -- 9. It might have been worse -- 10. Tightrope -- 11. Flooded with feeling -- 12. Winner takes all -- 13. Me an alcoholic? -- 14. The perpetual quest -- 15. A drunk, like you -- 16. Acceptance was the answer -- 17. Window of opportunity -- pt. 3. They lost nearly all -- 1. My bottle, my resentments, and me -- 2. He lived only to drink -- 3. Safe haven -- 4. Listening to the wind -- 5. Twice gifted -- 6. Building a new life -- 7. On the move -- 8. A vision of recovery -- 9. Gutter bravado -- 10. Empty on the inside -- 11. Grounded -- 12. Another chance -- 13. A late start -- 14. Freedom from bondage -- 15. A.A. taught him to handle sobriety -- Appendices -- 1. The A.A. tradition -- 2. Spiritual experience -- 3. The medical view on A.A. -- 4. The Lasker Award -- 5. The religious view on A.A. -- 6. How to get in touch with A.A. -- 7. Twelve concepts (short form).