By the very act of critiquing chapter 4, we agnostics, i admittedly commit aa heresy. Alcoholics anonymous which we in aa affectionately call the big book. See page 449 in the 3rd edition or page 417 in the 4th edition. The preface and foreword describe the history of the big book and its role in the alcoholics anonymous program. Rightly and naturally, we think well before we choose the per. We, of alcoholics anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body.
Nov 05, 2015 12 videos play all aa big book audio shelby walker bob d. The big book of alcoholics anonymous addeddate 201027 14. His is the fourth edition of the book alcoholics anonymous. Sbbb refers to this steps by the big book workbook. But life among alcoholics anonymous is more than attending gatherings and visiting hospitals. The us aa site allows you to download individual chapters at a. Aa speaker powerless over alcohol and step 1 of alcoholism recovery part 1 of 5 duration. The only requirement for aa membership is a desire to stop drinking. A similar statement is made in the middle of the fourth edition dust cover.
Since the first edition appeared, in 1939, it has helped millions of men and women recover from alcoholism. Sponsor and sponsorship also do not appear in the main text of the book. Whether youre new to aa, or youre a seasoned veteran, this is the easiest and most useful app to aid in your recovery. Aa is nonprofessional, selfsupporting, and apolitical. Download pamphlets and handouts to use in big book group sessions our workbook companion to alcoholics anonymous 12 steps of recovery from alcoholism and addiction is called steps by the big book.
As of december 2009, 30,664,881 copies of the big book have been sold or otherwise distributed source aa gso ny. Giving, rather than getting, will become the guiding principle. As living sober book living sober chapters living sober history. I can relate to a time in my life when i had everything going well for me and my habit got the best of me and caused me to lose my employment. The first few chapters of the big book provided an overview of the alcoholic condition. Alcoholics anonymous is often referred to as a 12step program, and aa is the basis for many other 12step programs that have been established. How it works 61 his arrangements would only stay put, if only people would do as he wished, the show would be great. The titled side also tells us what the book alcoholics anonymous is to members of the alcoholics anonymous fellowship. The whytehouse is, i hope, a way to find that special phrase or saying etc. Home about aa newcomers the big book the big book you will be redirected to.
It contains the 12 steps that are at the core of the alcoholics anonymous program, as well as stories about alcoholics who have been through the recovery process. How many thousands of men and women the anonymous press. Being a large place, we think that some day its fellowship will number many hundreds. Choice in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. 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. The us aa site allows you to download individual chapters at a time in pdf format. Hank p, whose big book story is the unbeliever, started aa in new jersey. It is the basic text of the fellowship of alcoholics anonymous, and has helped large numbers of alcoholic men and women, young and old, recover as of december 2009, 30,664,881 copies of the big book have been sold or otherwise distributed source aa gso ny. Alcoholics anonymous has no opinion on outside issues.
The following links download chapters of the big book from, the official website of alcoholics anonymous. The book alcoholics anonymous, affectionately known by members as the big book, is the textbook for the original 12step recovery program now known by the same name. The big book of alcoholics anonymous the world famous eye. Friends and family of alcoholics chapter 8 in the big book i read the chapter to the wives from the big book yesterday afternoon for the second time. The essential message of recovery from alcoholism is contained in the basic text for recovery which is provided in the first 11 chapters of the aa big book alcoholics anonymous. New stories have been added to the personal histories. Reading guide for a vision for you amethyst recovery. In the big book, as the text alcoholics anonymous is known, we read the written words of the first 100 men and women of aa as they were put in the way of a spiritual awakening. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary.
The big book step study bbss format, based upon an aa meeting format. Our workbook companion to alcoholics anonymous 12 steps of recovery from alcoholism and addiction is called steps by the big book. Detailsfourth edition 2001 of the big book, basic text of 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 the book has undergone four revisions since william wilson, also known as bill w. Home about aa newcomers the big book the big book you will be redirected to the us aa site. Literature nonreligious spiritual recovery reflections, daily meditations books about the 12 steps books about alternatives to the 12 steps. Assume on the other hand that father has, at the outset, a stirring spiritual experience. The second edition 1955 consisted of 1,150,000 copies. The big book bb notations are to page and paragraph, as in 64. Ernest kurtz says this is the closest the book alcoholics anonymous comes to a definition of alcoholism. You can search the alcoholics anonymous big book for phrases, key words, etc. In the lower righthand corner it reads, this is the third edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. A community thirty miles away has fifteen fellows of alcoholics anonymous.
Alcoholics anonymous aa is an international mutual aid fellowship with the stated purpose of enabling its members to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. The unnamed preparer of this reworking of the first 11 chapters of the big book of alcoholics anonymous has responded to the discomfort many, especially women, are said to feel with that texts exclusively male pronouns. Its only membership requirement is a desire to stop drinking. The big book was originally published in 1939 by aa founders bill w. The big book is well over 400 pages long and contains numerous chapters. Starting with a brief prologue the doctors opinion, the book presented a story of addiction bills story before discussing the spiritual nature of the disease there is a solution. Home read the big book and twelve steps and twelve traditions alcoholics anonymous alcoholics anonymous this is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous.
It is common in aa lore to hear claims that the big book is the secondmost printed book of alltime, second only to the bible. These 12 steps are outlined in chapter 5, how it works, of the big book. The fourth edition of the big book includes four major sections. This is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous.
For instance, the second part of the book includes personal stories of alcoholics and their recovery experiences. There was another part of bills story that impacted me. It is the basic text of the fellowship of alcoholics anonymous, and has helped large numbers of alcoholic men and women, young and old, recover. Pleasant hill aa meetings alcoholics anonymous online. The big book friends is an informal discussion group where men and women interested in the big book of alcoholics anonymous daily discuss the pages of the big book.
These chapters contain the minimum essential requirements for recovery from a once seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. Alcoholics anonymous aa big book 12 step program welcome to the the doctors opinion 1. The first time i read it i wanted to throw the book into the fire and never look at it again. We provide this study guide based on personal experience to help those following aas 12 steps as outlined in the original big book, alcoholics anonymous aa. This is a gross inaccuracy as approximately 30 million total copies have been printed. Copyright alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. The big book of alcoholics anonymous verywell mind. The second edition, published in 1955, reached a total of more than 1,150,500 copies.
The first edition appeared in april 1939, and in the following sixteen years, more than 300,000 copies went into circulation. The big book of alcoholics anonymous, also referred to as alcoholics anonymous. The book is published by alcoholics anonymous world services. Alcoholics anonymous big book original edition perfect paperback september 30, 2008. The text got this name because the first edition of the book had rather thick pages, making the book even thicker than its content would suggest. Marty mann 19041980 wrote the chapter women suffer too in the second through fourth editions of the big book. Cofounder bill wilson began writing it in april 1938 at the business office of new york member hank p. Oct 12, 2017 one of many good places to begin is in alcoholics anonymous aka the big book, specifically chapter 4, we agnostics. Aa step one 20 questions test worksheet a 20question test that was used by many a. Alcoholics anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. Some chapters are devoted to specific audiences, and others are more general in nature. We provide this study guide based on personal experience to help those following aa s 12 steps as outlined in the original big book, alcoholics anonymous aa. There have been numerous reprints and revisions, in addition to translations into dozens of languages. In trying to make these arrange ments our actor may sometimes be quite virtuous.
Alcoholics anonymous also known as the big book in recovery circles sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the stories of men and women who have overcome the disease. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. I ranted and raved and got really mad for someone to. Alcoholics anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
In the preceding chapters you have learned something of alcoholism. Jul 17, 2019 the book alcoholics anonymous, affectionately known by members as the big book, is the textbook for the original 12step recovery program now known by the same name. Chapter 4 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous, 2nd edition. Words contained within the first 164 pages of the big book. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of.
Aa s big book calls alcoholism an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer. The fourth edition includes twentyfour new stories that provide contemporary sharing for newcomers seeking recovery from alcoholism in a. Aa chapter 5 how it works rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Parkhurst at honors dealers, 17 william st, newark, new jersey. One of many good places to begin is in alcoholics anonymous aka the big book, specifically chapter 4, we agnostics. Sep 30, 2008 alcoholics anonymous big book original edition perfect paperback september 30, 2008. Chapter 4 we agnostics i n the precedingchapters you have learned something of alcoholism. The big book the main 164 pages, prayers, personal stories, and more. The free version features the full text of the big book, prayers, personal stories, podcasts, meeting finder, and more. It is my hope that you will find this site useful to you and our friends of bill w. Box 459, grand central station new york, ny 10163 website. The aa program of recovery is set forth in the twelve steps aa was founded in 1935 in akron, ohio. The big book of alcoholics anonymous, 2nd edition, chapter 1.