Who wrote the first 164 pages of the big book

Grapevine with the title bronzed moccasins and an illustration of a pair of bronze moccasins. We covered the whole eastern united states in a year. The first 164 pages of the big book, alcoholics anonymous, the preface, the forewords, the doctors opinion, dr. Have recovered from alcoholism frontispiece the author of this study guide wishes to point out the word recovered. The big book that gave alcoholics hope in 12 steps turns 75. First published in 1939, alcoholics anonymous sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the stories of men and women who have overcome the disease. Ive been to many meetings where it is said that we only read the 1st 164 pages. Together they founded the alcoholics anonymous aa fellowship. Why is it suggested to read 1st 164 pgs of big book. William d download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It is my hope that you will find this site useful to you and our friends of bill w.

Copyright alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. This was the version of the big book distributed to friends and colleagues of aas founders. These days i am participating in a big book study group which i find immensely rewarding. If your god is not powerful enough to heal your alcoholic mind, fire his ass and start praying to a god that will transform us to recovered status. The emphasis is on the first 89 pages of the book, which have not been altered since originally published in 1939. Dec 07, 2014 but it was never meant to be inerrant. With a stunning leap of areligious imagination, dale k.

It includes a secular and nonsexist version of the first 164 pages of the big book bringing a 78 year old text into the 21st century. How many musts are there in the first 164 pages of the big book 05. The big book speaks of 25 years of sobriety and the other states he had 5 years sober. The whytehouse is, i hope, a way to find that special phrase or saying etc. The page 552 prayer to end resentments posted by paulcoholic on 24 august 2014, 6. The wisdom from the big book isnt limited to 10 quotes.

Informally known as the big book with its first 164 pages virtually unchanged since the 1939 edition, it suggests a twelvestep program. The terms spiritual experience and spiritual awakening are used many times in this book which, upon careful reading, shows that the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism has manifested itself among us in many different forms. Many of these changes were to style and punctuation in an effort to keep the book stylistically current. Aa anonymity statement anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions please respect this and treat in confidence who you see and what you hear.

The following is a list ofapproximately 150 promises that i compiled from the first edition of the big book. 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. Page 4 the major changes to the big book editions have been in the selection of personal stories so that they represent a good crosssection of the aa membership. 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. The 4th edition 2001 is also freely available online. The big book of alcoholics anonymous, also referred to as alcoholics anonymous. The big book of aa and why it was written is an interesting story. This steps by the big book workbook is for those who are willing to grow along spiritual lines 60. Aa history a big book trivia of some missing facts. In 1999 an online version was launched, and numerous other products were also. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. The original 1939 edition, i could read the stories that makeup the second part of the first edition. He wrote an article for the grapevine on why doctors shouldnt prescribe pills for alcoholics, and because he had a dual problem was asked to write his story for the big book. Some have suggested that the author became suspicious of bill wilson and hank parkhurst the unbeliever in the first edition when hank set up works publishing to raise money to publish the book, with himself as the self appointed president, and bill began talking of listing himself as author of the big book.

The last time i picked up a mini big book i couldnt find the story section. Apr 10, 2014 the heart of the big book can be found in the first 164 pages, which outlines the now famous 12 steps of recovery. These are the changes that have been made in the program portion of the big book the first 164 pages and the roman numeral pages since it was first. We, of alcoholics anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. Forward to first edition this is the foreword as it appeared in the first printing of the first edition in 1939. Their words have been modified somewhat by the editor who assumes full responsibility for all errors. But this does not mean that we disregard human health measures. How many musts are there in the first 164 pages of the big book. At the time of the publication of the first edition, the big book was typically well. This was the version of the big book distributed to friends and colleagues of aas founders before the first edition was printed. Encyclopaedia britannica, the oldest englishlanguage general encyclopedia. This is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. Read the first 164 pages of the big book and do what it says,and you dont ever have to drink again. The big book was originally published in 1939 by aa founders bill w.

Essays on the 12 steps and 12 traditions of alcoholics anonymous by cofounder bill wilson. Man did i have a million questions yet some how i related to this book. Alcoholics anonymous by bill wilson, first edition abebooks. He is believed to be fred, a partner in a well known accounting firm whose story is told on pages 39 through 43 of the big book. Some of the promises are directly associated with completion of a step. Neither one of these actually match the story in the big book. Although its not properly confirmed its said that bill wilsons secretary wrote the big book. 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. Sep 25, 2014 aa big book myths tidbits and trivia september 25, 2014 october 4, 2014 by victoria b. Big book, page 164 while the program is considered a suggested method for dealing with the disease of alcoholism, there are places within the big book where the authors used the word must. My 10 favorite lines from the big book of alcoholics anonymous by kelly fitzgerald junco 072916 there is comfort in knowing you arent alone, that what youre feeling isnt unusual, and that there is a solution. Big book index first 164 pages 3 subject page s paragraphs proper use of will power 85 1 prospects decision 95 3 quit playing god 62 through 63 3 then 1 repairing the damage 99 1 resentment 64 3 restless, irritable, and discontented xxvi 4.

The following is a list of the 40 musts from the big book. The story of how many thousands of men and women have. At the beginning of the living sober text, it emphasizes that it is providing methods, not a program to be followed a through z or 1 through 12, like the big book s 12. The first part, known as the first 164 pages or the original manuscript explains the 12 step program and how it can be used to overcome the.

The process of one addictalcoholic guiding another through the book takes between 24 and 30 hours, usually done in 2 3 hour sessions, typically over a period of 2 3 weeks. Why dale k rewrote the first 164 pages of the big book. How many pages were there in the original big book, without stories. The foreword of the first edition explains exactly what the first 164 pages are for, they are the program of aa.

Why is it suggested to read first 164 pages in big book. On the last pages of this second edition will be found the twelve traditions of alcoholics anonymous, the principles upon which our a. The aa program of recovery, from a once seemingly hopeless state of mind and body, is contained within the first 164 pages of the aa big book. A vision for you 155 this refers to bills first visit with dr. A vision for you, big book page 164 our book is meant to be suggestive only. Inerrant means without error, and it is a concept religious scholars have tried to apply to the christian bible, without success. The answers will come, if your own house is in order. We all know that the first 164 pages of the big book are the meat and potatoes this book s first 164 is only 90 pages. It was because i became willing to take on suggestions such as reading the first 164 pages that i caught on to what it was saying. Bill, bob and the others wrote the book in the hope that we would read it.

Sixteen years have elapsed between our first printing of this book and the presentation of 1955 of our second edition. Aa big book myths tidbits and trivia 800 recovery hub blog. The story of how more than one hundred men have recovered from alcoholism, from which aa drew its name. I was dcm for honolulu then, and then they made me pi for the state. In that brief space, alcoholics anonymous has mushroomed into nearly 6,000 groups whose membership is far above 150,000 recovered alcoholics. Its words and interpretations are left up to the reader to use as they choose. The big book that gave alcoholics hope in 12 steps turns. Based on the readily available reference material, bill wilson was the author of the chapter of the big book titled.

Recovering alcoholics regularly refer to the big book as they progress in recovery, and they use it to help new members as they begin their recovery process. The first part, known as the first 164 pages or the original manuscript explains the 12 step program and how it can be used to overcome the effects of alcoholism. The text of this document, original manuscript, was left just as it originally appeared in 1938. There have been numerous reprints and revisions, in addition to translations into dozens of languages.

Bill wrote on the very last page of the first 164 pages. That all powerful idea is found in the first 164 pages of our big book. God in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. The big discrepancy in the story is the amount of sobriety this man had full text below. The encyclopaedia britannica was first published in 1768, when it began to appear in edinburgh. The big book was originally published in 1939 by bill w. Ive heard from many newcomers and in several chat rooms where people say their sponsors told them to only read the 1st 164 pages. The big book, in the first 164 pages, lays out the 12 step program, and the stories in the back of the book provide testimonials by people in aa who worked the 12 step program. It is said that he sued to get the money he had loaned a. Literature a brief history of the big book f166 a brief history of the big book in may 1938, when bill w. When the first edition of the big book was written, the challenge was to find enough. This big book is the source of the original program of aa, which saw. Biographies of the authors of the stories in the big book. Page xiii foreword to the first edition we, of alcoholics anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body.

It would be more accurate of you to assert that the stories in the big book are updated. God has abundantly supplied this world with fine doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds. I have provided a link in a couple of places on this page for your convenience, so you can get to the search page. The text of the first 164 pages of alcoholics anonymous, unchanged since they first came off press in 1939, evolved from a process of furious debate and wise compromise. W e, of alcoholics anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. 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.

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. I asked the man to be my sponsor, we went through the big book together, i recovered in a couple of weeks. The book is published by alcoholics anonymous world services and is available through aa offices and meetings, as well as through booksellers. For them, we think these pages will prove so convincing that no further. Marty mann 19041980 wrote the chapter women suffer too in the. Big book study guide alcoholics anonymous aa bill w. There are, however, additional promises in the big book. To share their method, wilson and other members wrote the initiallytitled book, alcoholics anonymous. I put more stock in the steps themselves than in the rest of the first 164 pages when it comes to spirituality manifesting in concrete terms. There is comfort in knowing you arent alone, that what youre feeling isnt unusual, and that there is a solution. These are the changes that have been made in the program portion of the big book the first 164 pages and the roman numeraled pages since it was first. Jul 17, 2019 to accomplish that purpose, the big book is divided into two main parts. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. From that day on i rose up to my feet and marched on, sober inside the big book archives.

Plus the forwards are not numbered right either, it just doesnt make sense what this publisher did. Oct 21, 2012 the first few times i read it like a novel and didnt learn much. The text of the 1st 164 pages of alcoholics anonymous. The big book of alcoholics anonymous verywell mind. Everything else you read or hear in aa is advice, take it or leave it. Alcoholics anonymous big book kindle edition by wilson. An unofficial guide to the twelve steps, edited by dr. Apr 27, 2010 all you will ever need is in the first 164 pages of the big book. Aug 17, 2011 the second part of the book has changed slightly with the printing of each new edition. The page 552 prayer to end resentments sober catholic.

Not to be confused with or substituted for the 12 step program of recovery as outlined in the first 164 pages of the big book. He is said to be the founder of alcoholics anonymous when in fact hes not the founder at all. Marty mann 19041980 wrote the chapter women suffer too in the second through fourth editions of the big book. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading alcoholics anonymous big book. The big book has served as a lifeline to millions worldwide. The second part changes because it is the part that consists of personal stories of recovering alcoholics. Ask him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. But to study and to find those epic quotes that old timers and members speak in dont do it.

The big book of alcoholics anonymous the world famous eye. 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 story on page 123 is the one that most closely matches the story in the book. The heart of the big book can be found in the first 164 pages, which outlines the now famous 12 steps of recovery. Some of the promises are inferred from the experiences of the first 100 men and women who recovered from alcoholism.

Aa big book aa big book taghere the foundation progress and principles washington temperance society of baltimore the missionary spirit alcoholism recovery 3rd edition 2nd edition alcohol allergy rehabilitation of alcoholics dr. How it works taken from alcoholics anonymous big book pages 6063 being convinced, we were at step three, which is that we decided to turn our will an. Nov 04, 2019 alcoholics anonymous believes that recovery is a lifelong process, so the big book is a continual companion in a recovering alcoholics life. Since the first edition appeared, in 1939, it has helped millions of men and women recover from alcoholism. Alcoholics anonymous the big book pages 1 164 boardprep.

This excerpt of the alcoholics anonymous big book lets you get your hands on pages that could help you with alcohol. Of course, there are reasons why the first 164 pages will never be updated. Jerry needed to know so he started upon a project to identify the changes that were made to various printings and editions of the big book. How ridiculous would it be if people tried to do the same with the big book. The material is presented here in a form which has been used by both individuals and groups of recovering alcoholics in texas to study the first 164 pages of the big book while actually doing the steps. Many of us have heard of the ninth step promises from page 8384 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous. Alcoholics anonymous big book original edition audible. There has been a series of reprints and revisions, as well as.