AA Book Club

  Tuesday AA literature link - Bill W.'s original 1948 Grapevine article on Tradition Eleven:                         Tradition Eleven                                   Providence has been looking after the public relations of                   Alcoholics Anonymous. It can scarcely have been otherwise.                   Though we are more than a dozen years old, hardly a syllable                   of criticism or ridicule has ever been spoken of AA. Somehow                   we have been spared all the pains of medical or religious                   controversy and we have good friends both wet and dry, right                   and left. Like most societies, we are sometimes scandalous --                   but never yet in public. From all over the world, naught comes                   but keen sympathy and downright admiration. Our friends of the                   press and radio have outdone themselves. Anyone can see that                   we are in a fair way to be spoiled. Ou

  Spiritual thoughts for the week: November 28 To truly desire to do God's will, therein lies happiness for a human being. We start out wanting our own way. We want our wills to be satisfied. We take and we do not give. Gradually we find that we are not happy when we are selfish, so we begin to make allowances for other people's wills. But this again does not give us full happiness, and we begin to see that the only way to be truly happy is to try to do God's will. In these times of meditation, we seek to get guidance so that we can find God's will for us. 24 Hours a Day November 29  Passive Before God To be sensitive is good, because sensitive people are aware of a thousand interesting or beautiful things where the obtuse person gets nothing. To do any creative work you have to be sensitive; because the creative worker is a "receiver set" for divine mind. Around the Year with Emmet Fox (Excerpt) November 30 You can get away from the misunderstanding of others

  Saturday speaker link - Ed M. "#1 AA Talk Of All Time"? - Founders Day 2003:

  Throwback Thursday AA history link - From How It Worked, biography of Clarence S., by Mitchell K. - Dr. Bob spreads the message to Clarence:    Doc looked at Clarence and shook his head up and down. "Okay young feller," he said, "I'll give you the answer to this." Doc turned his body on the bed to get closer to Clarence, pointed a long bony finger at him, and asked, "Young feller, do you believe in God? Not a God, but God!"    Clarence was ready for a medical cure. He was ready for surgery, any kind of surgery. Even rectal. After all, he was in a hospital, wasn't he? He was ready to sign a pledge, swear off booze, sing for his supper, and stand on his head if need be. He was, however, definitely not ready for God!    He had already been to the missions when he needed clothing or shelter. He even sang a little bit. He had listened to all they had to say about God. He had "agreed" with them and they gave him what he had needed. How many t

Big Book topics for discussion, meditation or to share with sponsees,  from our literature study guide website at AABookClub.org. (For background on the origin of these topics, click here:   aabookclub.org/aa_bookclub/topics.html ):   The Red Hot Stove The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink. The almost certain consequences that follow taking even a glass of beer do not crowd into the mind to deter us. If these thoughts occur, they are hazy and readily supplanted with the old threadbare idea that this time we shall handle ourselves like other people. There is a complete failure of the kind of defense that keeps one from putting his hand on a hot stove. Th

  Spiritual thoughts for the week: November 20 In these times of quiet meditation, try more and more to set your hopes on the grace of God. Know that whatever the future may hold, it will hold more and more of good. Do not set all your hopes and desires on material things. There is weariness in an abundance of things. Set your hopes on spiritual things so that you may grow spiritually. Learn to rely on God's power more and more and in that reliance you will have an insight into the greater value of the things of the spirit. 24 Hours a Day November 23 Keep an undaunted spirit. Keep your spirit free and unconquered. You can be undefeated and untouched by failure and all its power, by letting your spirit overcome the world; rise above earth's turmoil into the secret chamber of perfect peace and confidence. When a challenge comes to you, remember you have God's help and nothing can wholly defeat you. 24 Hours a Day November 24  Look Where You Go Look where you are going because

  Saturday speaker link - New York Margie from 1997:    

  Throwback Thursday AA history link - Ernie Kurtz on researching AA history:    

 From You Are God by Mary:   This is the beginning, that all things be told in their proper order as all things of God's world and universe are in their proper order. First the dawn of the day, then the sun's first glowing, the quiet time of preparation for the journey of the sun into the sea, the soft fall of night, the blanket of the world, the full darkness n which all things of creation come to realization of the vast spaces of timelessness, asleep or awake.   9 Night truly brings the full beauty and serenity of creation for the knowing to experience and be renewed through.   10 God has given each a small part of himself, that in the quiet moments of prayer the being's words can reach him and be known unto him so he may answer those prayers which are sincerely asked and rightly to be fulfilled. There is no need to shout aloud, for he quietly waits to be recognized and summoned. There is no need to bow the head or bend the knee, for he calls on no man for obeisance, only

  Spiritual thoughts for the week: November 13  The Use Of Intelligence It is your duty to God to run your life on intelligent lines. God gives us as much intelligence as we can possibly need, but, unfortunately, in most cases we use very little of it. Ask yourself today if you are really conducting your life intelligently. Are you eating and drinking intelligently? Do you select your reading intelligently? Do you spend your moeny intelligently? Do you consider intelligently the things that you hear, or do you just accept them uncritically? Do you exercise intelligence in carrying out your daily work? Do you seek to approach each new problem with intelligence instead of emotion? Around the Year with Emmet Fox (Excerpt) November 14 There must be a design for the world in the mind of God. We believe His design for the world is a universal fellowship of men and women under the fatherhood of God. The plan for your life must also be in the mind of God. In times of quiet meditation you can s

  Saturday speaker link - Laura M on Step 11, from 2007: Laura M. on Step 11

Throwback Thursday AA history link -  Atheists and Agnostics in AA, presented by Joe C.: Recovery Speakers.com Joe C. on Atheists and Agnostics in AA

  From our online literature study guide at AABookClub.org, an analysis of Chapter 11 from the Big Book : AA Book Club Big Book Chapter 11 Analysis

  Spiritual thoughts for the week: November 6 Spiritual power is God in action. God can only act through human beings. Whenever you, however weak you may be, allow God to act through you, then all you think and say and do is spiritually powerful. It is not you alone who produces a change in the lives of others! It is also the Divine Spirit in you and working through you. Power is God in action. God can use you as a tool to accomplish miracles in people's lives. 24 Hours a Day November 8 We should forget those things which are behind us and press onward toward something better. We can believe that God has forgiven us for all our past sins, provided we are honestly trying to live today the way we believe He wants us to live. We can wipe clean the slate of the past. We can start today with a clean slate and go forward with confidence toward the goal that has been set before us. 24 Hours a Day November 10 When something happens to upset you and you are discouraged, try to feel that lif

  Saturday speaker link - Old timer Johanna Z, from 1991:    

Throwback Thursday AA history link - Chuck C's first known recorded talk from 1953:    

  Tuesday literature post - Several alternative version of the Twelve Steps used by some people with different beliefs: