AA Book Club

  Potential Alcoholic Potential alcoholics drink excessively and dangerously, but may not yet have progressed beyond human aid. Many will eventually become Real Alcoholics in time. Big Book: "I studied economics and business as well as law. Potential alcoholic that I was, I nearly failed my law course. At one of the finals I was too drunk to think or write." Page 2, Bill's Story "Potential female alcoholics often turn into the real thing and are gone beyond recall in a few years." Page 33, More About Alcoholism "We who are familiar with the symptoms, see large numbers of potential alcoholics among young people everywhere. But try to get them to see it!" [In later editions, an * leads to a footnote indicating that there are more younger AA members than in the early years of the Program.] Page 33-34, More About Alcoholism Of the idea that knowledge of the disease of alcoholism will protect one from getting it: "That may be true of certain nonalcohol...

                     A short bio of Frank Buchman, founder of the Oxford Group:                                                                                      

  Big Book topics for study, meditation or use with a sponsee (From our online AA literature study guide at AA Book Club.org ): What's The Advantages? Many do not comprehend that the alcoholic is a very sick person. And besides, we are sure that our way of living has its advantages for all. (Page xiii) We know all about liquor as a social lubricant. Some, but not all of us, think it has its advantages when reasonably used. (Page 110) We families of Alcoholics Anonymous keep few skeletons in the closet. Everyone knows about the others alcoholic troubles. This is a condition which, in ordinary life, would produce untold grief; there might be scandalous gossip, laughter at the expense of other people, and a tendency to take advantage of intimate information. Among us, these are rare occurrences. We do talk about each other a great deal, but we almost invariably temper such talk by a spirit of love and tolerance. (Page 125) An alcoholic who has recovered, but holds a rela...

  From Stories of Recovery.org : Father Ed Dowling(1898-1960) The Jesuit priest who served for twenty years as sponsor and spiritual guide to Bill Wilson. Ed was the first to notice the similarities between the 12-step program and the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. Dowling showed up at Bill Wilson's door unannounced late one night in NYC. Bill and Father Ed, became close friends, and served as a spiritual advisor to Bill for over 20 years. A talk by Father Dowling: Father Ed Dowling - 1955 at the AA International Convention in St Louis, MO introduced by Bill Wilson

  The AA Traditions were formulated several years after the Big Book was first published. However, the core of several Traditions can be found in the Big Book: “The tremendous fact for every one of us is that we have discovered a common solution. We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action.” Page 17, There is a Solution “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on A.A. Unity” Tradition One ***** “The only requirement for membership is an honest desire to stop drinking.” Foreword to the First Edition “The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.” Tradition Three ***** "To show other alcoholics precisely how we recovered is the main purpose of this book." Foreword to the First Edition "Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers." Tradition Five ***** "We would like it understood that our ...

  A little AA literature and history - read Bill W.'s 1948 Grapevine article on Tradition Five: Tradition Five                        Says the old proverb, "Shoemaker, stick to thy last." Trite,                    yes. But very true for us of AA. How well we need to heed the                    principle that it is better to do one thing supremely well                    than many things badly.                   Because it has now become plain enough that only a recovered                    alcoholic can do much for a sick alcoholic, a tremendous                    responsibility has descended upon us all, an obligation so  ...

  From the Little Red Book: The alcoholic must learn to "let go" whenever he becomes upset; when over-activity brings him feelings of mental and physical exhaustion; when he becomes extremely impatient; when he experiences anger; when he is bored; when he is resentful. Relaxation will restore his sense of well-being and allow better concentration of his mental faculties which are necessary for an understanding of God sufficient to effect our recovery from alcoholism. Page 42-43, Step Three