Although the book launched one of the great spiritual movements of the 20th century, the. Addition and subtraction books meet your next favorite book. Alcoholics anonymous the big book is one of the bestselling books of all time, having sold 30 million copies. It was printed on thick paper and had wide margins. The book is published by alcoholics anonymous world services. This is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. But in addition to popularity, condition makes a significant difference in the value of a first edition book, particularly the dust jacket. Alcoholics anonymous also known as the big book in recovery circles sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the stories of men and women who have overcome the disease. Aa big book aa big book taghere the foundation progress and principles washington. Since the first edition appeared, in 1939, it has helped millions of men and women recover from alcoholism.
There were 4,730 books printed, with red cloth binding, wide columns, thick paper which was why it was called the big book in the first place, and a red, yellow. Alcoholics anonymous big books 1939 first editions, first printings. Alcoholics anonymous first edition first printings 1939 for sale. Technically the phrase first edition consists of the first printing plus any additional printings of the same first edition. The big book of alcoholics anonymous including twelve steps and twelve. Works publishing company, april 1939, hardcover 400pp.
Alcoholics anonymous big book audio read aloud duration. Because this book has become the basic text for our society and has helped such large numbers of alcoholic men and women to recovery, there exists a sentiment. Aa first edition, first printing april, 1939 big books available for purchase. Buy first edition books for sale at auction invaluable. Wilson, one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa. The book they wrote, alcoholics anonymous the big book, is the basic text for aa on how to stay sober, and it is from the title of this book that the group got its name. More than 300,000 copies of the first edition are now in circulation. Bob smith first edition, first printing of the little red book in 1942, ed webster, a member of the nicollet group of alcoholics anonymous in minneapolis, began teaching classes on the study and application of the twelve steps of a.
First published in 1939, alcoholics anonymous sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the stories of men and women who have overcome the disease. Alcoholics anonymous facsimile first printing of the first edition. Alcoholics anonymous first edition bill wilson first edition signed. Alcoholics anonymous first edition 14th printing 1951 origina dj 1st aa big book. A first edition print of alcoholics anonymous big book, in mint condition can be worth as much as any collector is willing to pay. There have been numerous reprints and revisions, in addition to translations into dozens of languages.
Alcoholics anonymous big books for sale, first second third. If you are interested in having us take a look at your book, please fill out the contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible. A great book for completing the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous. Alcoholics anonymousthe big book has served as a lifeline to millions worldwide. It took almost two years to sell the 4,650 copies of the first printing. Compare your book to the details of each book listed, comparing the publisher, year published, edition, condition, and any physical description of the book. This was an attempt by bill w to give the impression the purchaser was getting something for the price, which was very high in 1939. How much is a first edition alcoholics anonymous book worth.
An affordable reproduction of the original big booka a. It is the originator of the seminal twelvestep method widely used to. W e, ofalcoholics anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. But for older books, or books originally published by small imprints, the first run may have been as few as 100 copies.
Hard cover reproduction of the first printing of the first edition of alcoholics anonymous. Alcoholics anonymous big book audio read aloud youtube. One motive impelling wilson to write twelve steps and twelve traditions had been the realization that the original text of the big book, alcoholics. If your copy is a 3rd printing, or a book club edition, it wont have the same value as a first edition. The holy grail of aa big book collections heads to auction fine. Compared to the original this reproduction has the same content and appearance but is not as thick. Aa was founded in 1935 in akron, ohio when one alcoholic, bill wilson, talked to another alcoholic, bob smith, about the nature of alcoholism and a possible solution. Alcoholics anonymous 1st edition 15th printing 1954 dj first edition aa big book. There are, however, additional promises in the big book.
Alcoholics anonymous first edition bill wilson first edition. Alcoholics anonymous big books for sale, first second. Save aa big book first edition to get email alerts and updates on your ebay feed. The fourth edition includes twentyfour new stories that provide contemporary sharing for newcomers seeking recovery from alcoholism in a.
Works publishing edit wilson began work on the book, and as financial difficulties were encountered, the first two chapters, bills story and there is a solution. When a book is sold for the first time, that is called the book s first edition. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism generally known as the big book is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism, written by the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa, bill w. Twelve steps and twelve traditions first edition signed. First printings are rare, signed and inscribed copies exceptionally so. With the help of other early members, the book alcoholics anonymous. This was the version of the big book distributed to friends and colleagues of aa s founders before the first edition was printed. With publication of the second edition in 1955, the third edition in 1976. Wilson inscribes this copy in blue ink, to fred this in grateful memory of your friendship and of the old days. Unfollow aa big book first edition to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Includes a reproduction of the original dustjacket.
Cornwall press was contracted to print the book in 1939. A guide to collecting alcoholics anonymous big book abebooks. In 2011, time magazine placed the book on its list of the 100 best and most influential books written in english since 1923, the beginning of the magazine. Aa speakers prayers, promises and selfforgiveness new 20 duration. A seventh printing sold for 2,750 several years ago but you are unlikely to find that printing as cheap as that again. At first this can become somewhat confusing because when a book becomes very popular and is often reprinted many times over a number. Dec 07, 2014 in addition to displacing the medicalscientific treatment protocol employed in the treatment of every other disease, aa by virtue of often being the only game in town is often an obstacle for the newly sober because a belief in the supernatural is proclaimed at aa meetings as a prerequisite for sobriety. Many modern dust covers were torn or simply tossed aside, but the jackets are often valued for their signature artwork, making a dust jacket an integral component of the work itself. The following is a list ofapproximately 150 promises that i compiled from the first edition of the big book. Aa big book aa big book taghere the foundation progress and principles washington temperance society of baltimore the missionary spirit alcoholism recovery 3rd edition 2nd edition alcohol allergy rehabilitation of alcoholics dr. The text of this document, original manuscript, was left just as it originally appeared in 1938. Bobs nightmare 171 171 window of opportunity 421 aa number three 182 182 he had to be shown 193 he thought he could drink like a gentlemen. Home read the big book and twelve steps and twelve traditions alcoholics anonymous alcoholics anonymous this is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside.
Quite simply, it is the initial printing of a book after the book proofadvance copy. Alcoholics anonymous is a worldwide fellowship banded together to solve common problems and to help fellow sufferers in recovery from that ageold, baffling malady, alcoholism. Several more expensive copies are available via abebooks. This is a reproduction of the 1938 original manuscript of alcoholics anonymous. This is the official website of the general service office g. For some blockbuster titles, this can be as many as 50,000 copies or more. Many of us have heard of the ninth step promises from page 8384 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous.
However, the fledgling aa organization had no funds to pay for the print run itself so the publisher kept the copies and released them on a pay as you go basis. Part i pioneers of aa acceptance was the answer previously doctor, alcoholic, addict 439 407 dr. Some of the promises are directly associated with completion of a step. Back in print for the first time in more than 65 years, the original 1946 edition reveals firsthand how some of a. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at.
Alcoholics anonymous first edition, first printing hardcover book, signed and inscribed by aa cofounder bill wilson on the front free endpaper. How to identify first editions or a first printing of a book. The first edition refers to a book s first printing run. Alcoholics anonymous first edition, first printing 1939 big book ny. Initially titled the twelve steps, it was affectionately nicknamed the little red book. The first edition is interested in buying specific rare books and we offer great prices and secure payment options. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large. It includes four simple yet powerful worksheets for doing aas 4th step and a very simple and powerful approach to step 7. Call 419 5635905 or email abookman for more information, order a big book, or to sell your books. All nineteen books are first edition printings and are signed by the founding members of the aa fellowship. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. Convincing testimony must surely come from medical men who have had experience with the sufferings of our members and have witnessed our return to health. We of alcoholics anonymous believe that the reader will be interested in the medical estimate of the plan of recovery described in this book. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism generally known as the big book because of the thickness of the paper used in the first edition is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism, primarily written by william g.
Alcoholics anonymous big books for sale, find first, second, third, fourth and international editions. We would love to have a conversation with you about the book you would like to sell. Videos or graphic images may not be downloaded, copied or duplicated without the express written permission of alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. The big book was originally published in 1939 by aa founders bill w. Foreword to first edition this is the foreword as it appeared in the. Alcoholics anonymous first edition first printings 1939. The story of how more than one hundred men have recovered from alcoholism was written in 1939. This is the second edition of the book alcoholics anonymous, which made its first appearance in april 1939. Reproduction of the first printing of the first edition aa. A guide to collecting alcoholics anonymous big book. Alcoholics anonymous the big book is one of the bestselling books of all time, having sold. Classes were attended by the many newcomers who were then joining the group and they were run using a set. Alcoholics anonymous 1st edition 1st printing 1939 dj aa. In the world of book collecting, a first edition is generally considered to be the first appearance of a work, in its first printing.
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