The History of Alcoholics Anonymous

Historical writings, documents, letters, events, people, places and references through-out the history of A.A.

Alcoholics Anonymous -the book, April, 1939, Works Publishing Inc. "We of Alcoholics Anonymous, are many thousands of men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book."
¬Big Book in .pdf format
¬Go to the Site Search page for additional Big Book downloads.

Personal Stories -1st edition, April, 1939, Works Publishing Inc. These are the personal stories in the back of the first edition book titled, Alcoholics Anonymous.

Personal Stories -2st edition, 1955, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. These are the personal stories in the back of the second edition book titled, Alcoholics Anonymous.

The Mitchell K. Library -Articles written by Mitchell K. Read his book online titled, "The Story of Clarence H. Snyder and The Early Days of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland, Ohio". With Mitchell's permission, his website that went offline some years back has been preserved here, on silkworth.net. His website is one of the first I visited about A.A.'s history - thus began my interest in A.A.'s history.

Mel B.'s Library -For those of you who don't know him, Mel B. got sober in Alcoholics Anonymous in 1950 during the early days of the fellowship, in his hometown, Norfolk, Nebraska. He writes anonymously on subjects related to alcoholism and was the principal author of Pass It On, AA's authorized biography of co-founder Bill Wilson. He has also contributed more than fifty articles to The Grapevine, the international journal of Alcoholics Anonymous. He has been an active member of A.A. for more than fifty years. He is regarded as one of the top historians writing about Alcoholics Anonymous.

Dick B.'s Library -In 1986, Dick was felled by alcoholism, gave up his law practice, and began recovery as a member of the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1990, his interest in A.A.'s Biblical/Christian roots was sparked by his attendance at A.A.'s International Convention in Seattle. Since then, he has traveled widely; researched at archives, and at public and seminary libraries; interviewed scholars, historians, clergy, A.A. "old_timers" and survivors; and participated in conferences, programs, panels, and seminars on early A.A.'s spiritual history. He is regarded as one of the top historians writing about Alcoholics Anonymous and it's Biblical roots.

Shame & Guilt -by Ernest Kurtz - Second revised and updated.
Particularly in its new and revised version this little book, though short, is one of the best and most insightful works ever written on the sense of shame — feeling bad about our lives and what we perceive as our failures — that inner pain which haunts so many alcoholics and addicts and so many other human beings. And from his deep wisdom and accumulated experience, Kurtz also tells us how the twelve step program can be used to heal that sense of worthlessness and fear of abandonment, and restore us to lives that are happy, joyous, and free. -Glennn C.

The Bible (King James Version)
Did you know, before the Big Book was published, the early members of AA studied the Bible? In fact, one of the possible names for AA then was, "The James Club" after the Book of James from the Bible... (pdf)

The Greatest Thing In The World
by Henry Drummond, 1880. A book that was read by members in the early days of Alcoholics Anonymous.

In His Steps
by Charles M. Sheldon. Written in 1896, read by members in the early days of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The Varieties Of Religious Experience
by William James, 1902. A man ahead of his time, Bill W. once referred to him as one of A.A.'s founders. His book is also mentioned in the Big Book on page 38 of 1st edition, page 28 of 2nd, 3rd & 4th editions.

As A Man Thinketh
by James Allen, 1902. A book that was read by members in the early days of Alcoholics Anonymous.

TWICE-BORN MEN -by Harold Begbie, exact publication date unknown. No Copyrights. A clinic in regeneration : a footnote in narrative to Professor William James's "The Varieties of Religious Experience" (pdf)

A Way of Life -by William Osler
An Address to Yale Students, Sunday evening, April 20^th, 1913. London Constable & Company LTD, 1913. (pdf)

The Common Sense of Drinking
by Richard R. Peabody, Boston: Little Brown and Co. 1930, read by members in the early days of Alcoholics Anonymous. (pdf)

What is the Oxford Group?
By The Layman With a Notebook. With a foreword by L.W. Grensted Oriel Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion. First published in 1933 by Oxford University Press, London. (pdf)

I Was a Pagan -by V. C. Kitchen
Originally published in 1934 by Harper & Brothers (pdf)

When Man Listens -by Cecil Rose 1936, "The chapters of this book are an attempt to set down briefly the simple elements of Christian living. I believe that there is nothing in them which cannot be found in the New Testament. -Cecil Rose, Preface" -or view as pdf file.

The Philosophy of Courage or The Oxford Group Way
By Philip Leon. With a new foreword by Glenn F. Chesnut. The original text was published in 1939, Oxford University Press. This electronic edition distributed by stepstudy.org, 2008.

The Perennial Philosophy -by Aldous Huxley
Published by Chatto & Windus, London. Oxford University Press, Toronto. First Published in 1946. Second Impression 1947, Printed in Great Britain. (pdf)

The Confessions of Saint Augustine
by St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (345-430), Translated by Edward B. Pusey, D.D.