PASS IT ON
Among our greatest resources are the words and wisdom of those who have gone before us.
Contact us if you have tapes you'd like to share. We'll arrange for the conversion, preserving your original and pass your gift on to the world through the Akron Archives' “Voices From the Past”.
More Than Words
The words of A.A.'s Twelve Steps are known to all of us but, how many of us are confidant of their precise meaning?
More Than Words was taken from a 1991 Big Book study hand-out. The original author's unknown to us but, the idea was just too good not to pass on.
View as Flash: HERE
Download as PDF: HERE
Traditions Definitions
A.A.'s Twelve Traditions were first written in early 1946 as tentative guides to help us hang together and function. The short form used today was condensed with the help of Chicago group founder Earl T. in 1949 and unanimously adopted by standing vote at the first International Convention in Cleveland, OH in July of 1950.
Traditions Definitions explores the meaning of the text used for the short form.
View as Flash: HERE
Download as PDF: HERE
First Edition Story Authors
— April 1939
4,730 copies of the first edition of
“Alcoholics Anonymous” were published at a
selling price of $3.50 ($45.92 in 2005 dollars).
- Bio | Story | Audio — 01 Dr. Bob S. - “The Doctor's Nightmare”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 02 Hank P. - “The Unbeliever”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 03 Joe D. - “The European Drinker”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 04 Florence R. - “A Feminine Victory”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 05 Fitz M. - “Our Southern Friend”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 06 William R. - “A Businessman's Recovery”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 07 Harry B. - “A Different Slant”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 08 Jim S. - “Travel, Editor, Scholar”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 09 Walter B. - “The Back - Slider”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 10 Clarence S. - “Home Brewmeister”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 11 Ernie G. - “The Seventh Month Slip”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 12 Tom L. - “My Wife And I”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 13 William (Bill) V.H. - “A Ward Of The Probate Court”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 14 Charlie S. - “Riding The Rods”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 15 Bob O. - “The Salesman”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 16 Wallace (Wally) G. - “Fired Again”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 17 Archie T. - “The Fearful One”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 18 Paul S. - “Truth Freed Me”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 19 Harold S. - “Smile With Me, At Me”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 20 Henry J. - “A Close Shave”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 21 Norman H. - “Educated Agnostic”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 22 Ralph F. - “Another Prodigal Story”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 23 Dick S. - “He Had To Be Shown”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 24 Myron W. - “Hindsight”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 25 Horace R. - “On His Way”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 26 Marie B. - “An Alcoholic's Wife”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 27 Ray C. - “An Artist's Concept”
- Bio | Story | Audio — 28 Lloyd T. - “The Rolling Stone”
Big Book Biography: Acknowledgments and Credits
The Biographies in this section come to us from Nancy O., a long time member of the fellowship, who also knew Bill W.
Nancy O., formally the moderator of A.A. History Buffs, now known as The AA History Lovers writes:
Buffs, I have been preparing short biographies of authors of the stories in the Big Book, including all three editions, plus one story which appeared only in the Original Manuscript (OM).
“I have reviewed all the books published by A.A. World Services and the A.A. Grapevine, plus all the books I could locate written about A.A. or by any of its members. A few I acknowledge at the end of individual stories.”
“In this endeavor I have been helped enormously by other members of the Buffs. Some of these supplied information about only about one or two of the authors. In those cases I will acknowledge them when I post the individual biographies on which they helped.”
“But there are a few people who have been of such help in providing information that I must acknowledge them here: Lee C. in California, who first got me interested in A.A. history; Jim B. in Canada who has sent me large files full of information on A.A.'s history; Barefoot Bill in Pennsylvania, who has sent both information and a video of one of the authors' talks; Ron L. and Ted H. in California who have sent me tapes of some of the authors' talks. (Ron also sent me information on Jim Burwell which I had not known.)”
“Two people were of special help:”
“Archie M. of Tennessee provided me with invaluable information on where each of these people are mentioned in the literature. Without his work my task would have been much more difficult.”
“Tony C. of Texas spent many hours proofreading the nearly 150 pages and offering editorial suggestions, and also researched the net to find information for me.”
“To me the amazing thing about all this is that I have never met any of these benefactors in person.”
Nancy O., Moderator — AA History Buffs (AA History Lovers)
