The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous

by Dick B.

One of the most thorough and finest recent A.A. history books, which brings to the fore the real beginnings of Alcoholics Anonymous in Akron. It shows the roles of the founding workers--Bill W., Dr. Bob, Anne Smith, T. Henry and Clarace Williams, and Henrietta Seiberling. It shows how A.A. arose from the unusual cure of Russell Firestone in 1931 and the events in 1933 that celebrated his recovery. It explains the Akron crucible and the precise methods adopted in the summer of 1935 by Bill and Bob. The book was immediately acclaimed by Dr. Bob's two children (Sue Smith Windows and Robert R. Smith), by Congressman Seiberling, and by the daughter of T. Henry Williams. This book changed the approach of later historians who realized that the entire Akron beginnings had simply fallen through the cracks in the zeal to talk about Bill Wilson's later Big Book. The contents allows the reader to see the full picture from the beginning. The first three AAs formed the first A.A. group in Akron. The 75% success rate was achieved in Akron. Public recognition of the A.A. program grew from Akron's miraculous cures. These are the details.

396 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[William J Neville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! It all started in Akron, Ohio.

I love this book. I am a friend of Bill's and a history junkie so this reading helped me know the who, what and where of how AA came to be. The focus is on the power of God in recovery with the organizational framework of the12 Steps, that make this program so powerful! I am now reading books by Rev Sam Shoemaker who instilled the importance of the "Spiritual Awakening" which is the heart of recovery.

[Steve Woods · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a written history. Maybe the author just lacks the academic background and discipline to write history. It is in fact a collection of sources. It would be a very useful tool for someone writing a traditional history of AA, and it is in that that the book has value. The author has done an exhaustive job researching the material both from the written record, personal papers and oral recollections but without a background in AA and a fairly broad historical context within which to place the material it really wouldn't make much sense. Reading it was a task, for anyone without a specific interest it would be disorganized, poorly composed and simply boring,

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to know something about the historical origins of AA and the influence of Christianity upon it? Read any of Dick B.'s books.

[Andy C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great insight into an interesting chapter of AA