Authors of the Stories from the Book, ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS The person behind the stories -who they are and a brief biography. 1st, 2nd & 3rd...
Big Book Biography: Acknowledgments and Credits I am honored to have permission from Nancy O., a long time member of the fellowship, who also knew Bill...
Biography: Ace Full-Seven-Eleven Author unknown, Akron, Ohio. (Original Manuscript (OM), p. 62.) There are different theories as to why the story was not included in...
Biography: “The Unbeliever” Henry (Hank) P., New Jersey. (OM and 1st edition, p. 194.) Hank was the first man Bill W. was successful in sobering...
Biography: “A Feminine Victory” Florence R., New York City. (OM, p. 217 in 1st edition.) Florence was the first woman to get sober in A.A.,...
Biography: “A Business Man’s Recovery” William R., New Jersey. (OM, p. 242 in 1st edition.) Bill Ruddell was born in 1900. According to his story...
Biography: “A Different Slant” Harry B., New York. (OM, p. 252 in 1st edition.) His date of sobriety was probably June 1938. It is said...
Biography: “The Back-Slider” Walter B., Cleveland, Ohio. (OM, p. 265 in 1st edition.) Walter first joined A.A. in September 1935. He was known as a...
Biography: “The Seventh Month Slip” Ernie G., Akron, Ohio. (OM, p. 282 in 1st edition.) Ernie first got sober in August 1935, probably the first...
Biography: “My Wife and I” Tom L., Akron, Ohio. (OM, p. 287 in 1st edition.) Tom’s first date of sobriety probably was November 1935. (He...
Biography: “A Ward of the Probate Court.” William (Bill) V. H., Akron or Kent, Ohio. (OM, p. 296 in 1st edition.) Bill’s sobriety date is...
Biography: “Riding the Rods.” Charlie S., Akron, Ohio. (OM, p. 303 in 1st edition.) Charlie probably came to A.A. in May of 1937. According to...
Biography: “The Salesman.” Bob O., Richfield (Akron), Ohio. (OM, p. 317 in 1st edition.) Bob entered the program in December of 1936, but after six...
Biography: “Fired Again” Wallace (Wally) G., Akron, Ohio. (OM, p. 325 in 1st edition.) Probably Wally first entered A.A. in May of 1937, but one...
Biography: “Truth Freed Me!” Paul S., Akron, Ohio. (OM, p. 336 in 1st edition.) He had first met Dr. Bob much earlier. Dr. Bob formed...
Biography: “Smile With Me, At Me” Harold S., Brooklyn, New York. (OM, p. 340 in 1st edition.) Harold was an early New York member. He...
Biography: “A Close Shave.” Henry J. Z. (Harry Z? B.? S.?), Akron, Ohio. (OM, p. 348 in 1st edition.) Harry found sobriety in March of...
Biography: “Educated Agnostic” Norman H., Darien, Connecticut. (OM, p. 351 in 1st edition.) Norman’s date of sobriety is uncertain. One source says it was February...
Biography: “Another Prodigal Story” Ralph F., Springfield, Massachusetts? Darien, Conn.? (p. 357 in 1st edition.) Ralph had his last drink on June 6, 1938. He...
Biography: “Hindsight” Myron W., New York City. (p. 370 in 1st edition.) Myron sobered up in April of 1936. His is another story that could...
Biography: “On His Way” Horace R. (Popsy) M., New York City. (p. 375, 1st edition.) Popsy entered A.A. in September of 1938. He was described...
Biography: “An Alcoholic’s Wife” Marie B., Cleveland, Ohio. (p. 378 in 1st edition.) Marie, a non-alcoholic, was the wife of Walter B. (“The Backslider”). Walter...
Biography: “An Artist’s Concept” Ray C., New York City. (p. 380 in 1st edition.) Ray joined the fellowship in February 1938. He began his story...
Biography: “The Rolling Stone” Lloyd T., Cleveland, Ohio. (p. 386 in 1st edition.) Lloyd’s date of sobriety is uncertain. One source says it was February...
Biography: “Lone Endeavor” Pat C., Los Angeles, California. (p. 391, in 1st printing of 1st edition. Removed from 2nd printing.) Pat first stopped drinking in...
Biography: “The Professor and the Paradox” John P., Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (p. 336 in 2nd edition.) “Says he, ‘We A.A.s surrender to win; we give away...
Biography: Author unknown, “His Conscience” Author unknown, Canada. (p. 365 in 2nd edition.) “It was the only part of him that was soluble in alcohol.”...
Biography: “New Vision for a Sculptor” Fred (last name unknown), New York City. (p. 426 in 2nd edition.) “His conscience hurt him as much as...
Biography: “Joe’s Woes” Joe M., the Bronx, NY. (p. 445 in 2nd edition.) “These were only beginning when he hit Bellevue for the thirty-fifth time....
Biography: “There’s Nothing the Matter with Me!” Bill G., New Jersey. (p. 499 in 2nd edition.) “That’s what the man said as he hocked his...
Biography: Annie C., “Annie the Cop Fighter” Annie C., New York City. (p. 514 in 2nd edition.) Annie came to A.A. in April of 1947,...
Biography: “The Independent Blonde” Nancy F., New York City. (p. 532 in 2nd edition.) Nancy came to A.A. in June 1945, when she was 39...
Biography: “Dr. Bob’s Nightmare” Robert H. S., M.D., of Akron, Ohio. (OM, p. 183 in 1st edition, p. 171 in 2nd,3rd and 4th editions. In...
Biography: “Alcoholics Anonymous Number Three” “The Man on the Bed” Bill Dotson of Akron, Ohio. (p. 182 in 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions.) Pioneers of...
Biography: “He Had to be Shown” Dick S., Akron, Ohio. (p. 364 in the 1st edition, p. 193 in 2nd and 3rd editions. Titled “The...
Biography: Abby G., “He Thought He Could Drink like a Gentleman” Albert (Abby) G., Cleveland, Ohio. (p. 210 in 2nd and 3rd editions.) Pioneers of...
Biography: “Women Suffer Too” Margaret (“Marty”) M., New York City and Connecticut. (p. 222 in 2nd and 3rd editions, p. 200 in the 4th edition.)...
Biography: “The European Drinker” Joe D., Cleveland, Ohio. (OM, p. 206 in 1st edition, p. 230 in 2nd and 3rd editions.) Pioneers of A.A. “Beer...
Biography: “The Vicious Cycle” Jim B., Washington, D.C. (p. 238 in 2nd and 3rd editions, p. 219 in the 4th edition.) Pioneers of A.A. “How...
Biography: “The News Hawk” Jim S., Akron, Ohio. (OM, p. 254 in 1st edition, p. 251 in 2nd and 3rd editions. Titled “Travel, Editor, Scholar”...
Biography: “From Farm to City” Ethel M., Akron, Ohio. (p. 261 in 2nd and 3rd editions.) Pioneers of A.A. “She tells how A.A. works when...
Biography: Archie T., “The Man Who Mastered Fear” Archie T., Grosse Point, Michigan. (OM, p. 332 in 1st edition, p. 275 in 2nd and 3rd...
Biography: “He Sold Himself Short” Earl T., Chicago, Illinois. He Sold Himself Short — Earl Treat, Chicago, Illinois. (p. 287 in 2nd and 3rd editions...
Biography: “Home Brewmeister” Clarence S., Cleveland, Ohio. (OM, p. 274 in 1st edition, p. 297 in 2nd and 3rd editions.) Pioneers of A.A. “An originator...
Biography: “The Keys of the Kingdom” Sylvia K., Chicago, Illinois. (The Keys of the Kingdom — Sylvia Kauffmann, Chicago, IL. (p. 304 in 2nd and...
Biography: Author unknown, “Too Young?” Author unknown. (p. 317 in 3rd edition.) They Stopped in Time “Sergeants, doctors, girlfriends – everybody seemed to be picking...
Biography: “Fear of Fear” Ceil F. (Ceil M.?), New York City. (p. 330 in the 2nd edition, p. 321 in the 3rd edition, and p....
Biography: “Those Golden Years” Cecil (Teet) C. (p. 327, in 3rd edition.) They Stopped in Time “All the joys of retirement lay ahead for the...
Biography: Author unknown, “The Housewife Who Drank at Home” Author unknown. (p. 375 in 2nd edition, p. 335 in 3rd edition, p 295 in the...
Biography: Author unknown, “Lifesaving Words” Author unknown, Lucknow, India. (p. 342 in 3rd edition.) They Stopped in Time “For this officer in the Indian Army,...
