We hear a lot of stuff said in meetings that cant be reconciled with the program as described in the big book of alcoholics anonymous. Its words and interpretations are left up to the reader to use as they choose. The second edition, published in 1955, reached a total of more than 1,150,500 copies. Significant personal stori es in the first, second, and third editions have been eliminated. See more ideas about big book, sober life, alcohol addiction. The traditions of alcoholics anonymous in relationships. The big book of alcoholics anonymous the world famous eye. Sep 12, 2011 in the how it works reading, we hear over and over that some of us have tried to hold onto our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely. In the big book it says we must let go of all our old ideas or the results will be nil, meaning these old ideas are destructive and prevent a happy existence. Remember that we deal with alcohol cunning, baffling, powerful. New stories and more big book editions seem to be the promise of the future with battles yet to come over foreign language editions. The wisdom from the big book isnt limited to 10 quotes. Aa big book fourth edition big book alcoholics anonymous. We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically.
The 4th edition 2001 is also freely available online. In the course of his third treatment he acquired certain ideas concerning a possible. The 164 and more book, ebook, and web site are all concordances which display passages from the big book alcoholics anonymous, the twelve steps and twelve traditions, and the a. Neither one of these actually match the story in the big book. A draft fourth edition of the big book, alcoholics anonymous be developed and a progress report be brought to the 1998 conference literature committee, keeping in mind the 1995 advisory action that. The first edition appeared in april 1939, and in the following sixteen years, more than 300,000 copies went into circulation.
Alcoholics anonymous big books abookman, a book man, book. Big book study guide alcoholics anonymous aa bill w. Akron, ohio, alcoholics anonymous number three 2nd and 3rd big book editions. Our aa traditions ninth step promises i ask a friend to read our daily reflections is this anyones first aa meeting any time anywhere. The big book is divided into parts the first portion is all about the 12step recovery program, and the second part comprises fortytwo reallife stories of. His is the fourth edition of the book alcoholics anonymous. Idea in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12.
After the oil job blew up, i went back to baltimore and mother, my. First published in 1939, the aa big book sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the aa stories of men and women who have overcome the disease. Silkworth contributing the section on the doctors opinion. Wilson, one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa and many of the first 100 members of the group. If you dont have a big book, its time you bought one. Good morning, my name is david and im a recovered alcoholic, sobriety date 1261995. Mar 16, 2020 the big book is an instruction set for the alcoholics anonymous program.
That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. Ideas in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12 traditions. Alcoholics anonymous the big book has served as a lifeline to millions worldwide. Alcoholics anonymous which we in aa affectionately call the big book. I am willing to put aside old ideas as i discover them, to lay. Copyright alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. It was primarily written by one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa, bill wilson with two chapters, to employers written by henry parkhurst. From first editions to 75thanniversary editions, we have the alcohol anonymous book for sale that will help you or a loved one during the 12 step recovery process. With the appearance of the new book a great deal began to happen. Freuds great curiosity about philology, folklore and archaeolo. Recovery table spiritual awakening, alcoholism and.
The first 164 pages of the big book, alcoholics anonymous, the preface, the forewords, the doctors opinion, dr. Parkhurst at honors dealers, 17 william st, newark, new jersey. Alcoholics anonymous aa is an international mutualaid fellowship with more. The story on page 123 is the one that most closely matches the story in the book. Even though this text is over 80 years old, the content including stories, steps, and logic in the text still ring true in the lives of many alcoholics today. I spoke of the letting go process, the letting go of an old idea that seemingly forever held me in its grip.
I am from washington state east area 92 and my home group is the primary purpose big book study group in district 8 oeur d alene, id. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism. Do we need a 5 edition andor a plain language big book. Many of our old ideas especially those about alcohol, about drinking, about getting drunk, and about alcoholism or problem drinking, if you prefer that termprove either worthless or actually selfdestructive for us, and it is a great relief to get rid of them. Hank p, whose big book story is the unbeliever, started aa in new jersey. In the literature on art, freuds little book on leonardoeine. Since the big book os publication in the spring of 1939, a. The story of how more than one hundred men have recovered from alcoholism generally known as the big book because of the thickness of the paper used in the first edition is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism.
Do we need a 5th edition andor a plain language big book. Alcoholics anonymous, from the title of its own book. Alcoholics anonymous big books for sale, find first, second, third, fourth and international editions. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism. This original 1939 edition outlines the famous 12 steps, and offers counsel for those who wish to join the program but doubt the existence of a higher. The big book of alcoholics anonymous verywell mind. Alcoholics anonymous big book 4th edition hardcover trade edition 2021s hardcover.
The big book step study bbss format, based upon an aa meeting format originated in hyannis, mass. Feb 27, 2020 the big book of alcoholics anonymous, also referred to as alcoholics anonymous. You see, for the previous 25 years, the big book was the center of my aa experience. The people at the meeting were telling him stuff that made no sense to me, like live and let. I have put this information together so as those interested in alcoholics anonymous and its program of recovery may gain some insight into the sources of the big book s insights. Two old drunks who met together many years ago, found they had a mutual interest in the big book, studied it together for quite some time and to quote charlie, hopefully, weve learned a few things about it, and those few things weve learned about it we just. How jungs collective unconscious inspired alcoholics anonymous. My attention was caught by a doggerel on an old tombstone. Aa step one 20 questions test worksheet a 20question test that was used by many a. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. I wrote what you are about to read about a month after starting a secular aa meeting in 2014 with my friend jim c. The book is published by alcoholics anonymous world services and is available through aa offices and meetings, as well as through booksellers. A daily telephone meeting that focuses on reading and discussing the aa big book, covertocover. The book revolves around copying certain paragraphs and ideas from the big book and changing it a little to sound clever and make snarkyjokes that beg to come up as good but end up being as low as the authors iq, and replacing the concept of a high power with sponsor, and thats it.
These hard, leather and vinyl book covers for sale feature the serenity prayer on the front. Jun 07, 2020 aa needs to move beyond the canon of the old book, published in 1939. He had also gone all the way through the wringer and had been dry two years when i saw him again. The big book was originally written in 1939 by the founders of alcoholics anonymous. From pages 8384 big book alcoholics anonymous reprinted from the big book of alcoholics anonymous with permission of a. And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone even alcohol. The book has undergone four revisions since william wilson, also known as bill w. The individual sections of this study guide material reflect ideas, emotions and attitudes you might hear from the mouth of that old timer over in the corner. Aa is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution.
We talked about somebodys problem with an anonymity break at his doctors of. With over nine million copies in print the original. Videos or graphic images may not be downloaded, copied or duplicated without the express written permission of alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. This is the official website of the general service office g. The big discrepancy in the story is the amount of sobriety this man had full text below. Since 1954, twentyfour hours a day has become a stable force in the recovery of many alcoholics throughout the world. The main object of the big book alcoholics anonymous. In order to set our tone for this meeting i ask that we bow our heads in a few moments of silent prayer. This is not to embarrass you, its just so we can get to know you a little better. How it works the twelve steps alcoholics anonymous. Here is a list of the opinions, perspectives, and slogans we often hear in rooms and what the our original big book of alcoholics anonymous basic text 4th edition has to say about it.
In many bbss meetings, only members who have worked the 12 steps according to this structure are permitted to share. A wellknown selfhelp program for the addicts that can be employed by anybody to break the shackles of addiction. The big book is the basic text of the original 12step recovery program. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely. Ideas in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12.
Important dates in alcoholics anonymous toledo aa meetings. While newcomers may not be in the mood for serious reading, the sooner they can read alcoholics anonymous the better. Man, the unknown by alexis carrel published in 1935, this 346 page volume was the turning point in determining what focus the big book should take. Apr 18, 2020 from chapter six of the big book alcoholics anonymous. Watch asl dvd version includes subtitles and audio in english.
This is the only absolute in the first 164 pages of the big book of alcoholics anonymous. This is an article originally posted five years ago on aa agnostica. The individual sections of this study guide material reflect ideas, emotions and attitudes you might hear from the mouth of that old. Aa never opened the gates of heaven to let me in, aa did open the gates of hell to let me out 182. Many of these readings come from the alcoholics anonymous big book. A mainstay in recovery literature, the little black book is the first and foremost meditation book for anyone practicing the twelve steps of aa. In the how it works reading, we hear over and over that some of us have tried to hold onto our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.
Sep 09, 2020 originally published in september, 2014 on secular aa kansas city. Call 419 5635905 or email abookman for more information, order a big book, or to sell your books. During any such meeting to study the aa big book, you would expect to encounter a wide variety of viewpoints on the portions under consideration. Many thousands have benefited from the big book and its simple but profound explanation of the doctrines behind alcoholics anonymous, which was founded in 1935 by bill wilson and dr. Let in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12 traditions. It has become a regular shelf item among those who believe in god, understand the importance of the bible. The big book speaks of 25 years of sobriety and the other states he had 5 years sober. Read it, study it, live with it, loan it, scatter it, and then learn from it what it means to be an a. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism, is a collection of texts used by members of the alcoholics anonymous fellowship. Alcoholics anonymous number three the man on the bed bill dotson of akron, ohio. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and more concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either alcoholics. Aa book covers hard, leather, vinyl my 12 step store. I want to thank the 2019 pn ommittee for asking me to.
Remember that we deal with alcoholcunning, baffling, powerful. The only real authorities in aa are the big book entitled alcoholics anonymous, twelve steps and twelve traditions, other conferenceapproved literature, and decisions of the aa general service conference as aas elected voice. Did you scroll all this way to get facts about aa big book. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil. Marty mann 19041980 wrote the chapter women suffer too in the second through fourth editions of the big book. There is comfort in knowing you arent alone, that what youre feeling isnt unusual, and that there is a solution. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Cofounder bill wilson began writing it in april 1938 at the business office of new york member hank p. Chris raymer, aa big book, ca speaker, talk about carrying the message to the addict that still suffers hear renowned addiction speaker, mark houston from texas, a recovered alcoholicaddict, speak on 12 step spirituality living in the spirit. To read a pdf version of the fourth edition of alcoholics anonymous click here. Some groups give it away, others sell it, many keep a lending library of a. Oct 25, 2007 this wonderful journey we call the big book comes alive began in the early 1970s by joe mcquany and charlie parmley. This is the second edition of the book alcoholics anonymous.
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