AA Book Club

July 30: On this day in 1950, Dr. Bob gave his farewell talk at the First AA International Convention in Cleveland, OH. Here is a transcript of his remarks: My good friends in AA and of AA… I get a big thrill out of looking over a vast sea of faces like this with a feeling that possibly some small thing that I did a number of years ago played a small part in making this meeting possible. I also get quite a thrill when I think that we all had the same problem. We all did the same things. We all get the same results in proportion to our zeal and enthusiasm and stick-to-itiveness. If you will pardon the injection of a personal note at this time, let me say that I have been in bed five of the last seven months and my strength hasn’t returned as I would like, so my remarks of necessity will be very brief. But there are two or three things that flashed into my mind on which it would be fitting to lay a little emphasis; one is the simplicity of our program. Let’s not louse it all up with Fre...

  From AA and the Books of James, an original work examining the Big Book and two sources that helped inspire it: "Few pieces of outside spiritual literature have been as influential on AA and its Founders as William James’ 1902 book Varieties of Religious Experience and the New Testament Book of James. William James is the only outside literature explicitly cited in the Big Book, and a key phrase from the Book of James is used there. Bill W. and Dr. Bob were exposed to both books early in their quests for sobriety, and their impact on A.A.’s program of action can be seen in its primary text. We shall be looking at the role of these books in the personal stories of AA’s founders first, then the influence they had on the Big Book and AA’s program of action." Free downloadable PDF available at these links:  AA and the Books of James  or  AA and the Books of James More original studies of AA literature at   AABookClub.org   (Alternate site:  AABookClub.wi...

  Sobriety Meme of the Week:

Did you know that AA had a service structure before the Big Book and a formal program of recovery? The Big Book was written in late 1938 and early 1939, and published on April 10, 1939. But the Alcoholic Foundation (precursor to the General Service Organization) was already in place.

  Fill in the blank of this Big Book passage: "Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as ___________ . It works when other activities fail." a) doing 90 in 90 b) intensive work with other alcoholics c) multiple service positions d) going to AA conventions (Answer is on Page 89)

  Sobriety Meme of the Week:

  AA literature and history together - Read Bill W.'s 1948 Grapevine article on Tradition Seven: Tradition Seven Our growth continuing, the combined income of Alcoholics Anonymous members will soon reach the astounding total of a quarter of a billion dollars yearly. This is the direct result of AA membership. Sober we now have it; drunk we would not.    By contrast, our overall AA expenses are trifling.     For instance, the  AA General Service Office now costs us $1.50  per member a year. As a fact, the New York office asks the groups  for this sum twice a year because not all of them contribute. Even so,  the sum per member is exceedingly small. If an AA happens to live in  a large metropolitan center where an intergroup office is absolutely  essential to handle heavy inquiries and hospital arrangements, he  contributes (or probably should contribute) about $5.00 annually. To  pay the rent of his own group m...