Writing "the Big Book": The Creation of A. A.

by William H. Schaberg

Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most significant self-help books of the twentieth century with an estimated thirty-seven million copies sold, translated into seventy languages. Released in 1939, the Big Book, as it is commonly known, has spawned a number of recovery communities around the world and remains a vibrant tool in introducing a plan of recovery from addiction in all its manifestations. It has been forty years since the last scholarly history of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), Ernie Kurtz's Not God, published in 1979. Since then, all books that focus on one or more aspects of A.A. history have relied almost exclusively on the anecdotal stories told long after the fact by Bill Wilson and number of other early members, accounts that have proved at times to be inaccurate. Writing the Big Book is the result of eleven years of in-depth research into the formative years of A.A. Granted unprecedented access to the GSO archive, among others, the author reveals the inner workings of the early Fellowship, the conflicts, personalities, failures, and dispels myths of canonical texts such as Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, and A Brief History of the Big Book. Relying, whenever possible, on primary, real-time documents, the author pulls various threads into a remarkably coherent narrative. While the story focuses primarily on the eighteen months between October 1937 (when a book was first proposed) and April, 1939 (when Alcoholics Anonymous was published), relevant events both before and shortly after those dates are fully incorporated. Across the span of these eighteen months, the wealth of available archival materials allows a week-by-week accounting of events, which is presented here through an amazing amount of previously unreported details in a comprehensive and compelling story.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography

773 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 24, 2019

Reviews

[Ross Blocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to know how to rate or recommend Writing the Big Book... it depends on just how interested you are in the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. The level of concern given to accuracy and thoroughness is laudable, but the level of detail is overwhelming, repetitive, and way more than I needed as a neophyte to the topic. William H. Schaberg is at pains to deconstruct myths around the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous and the composition of their influential book. Having never heard these myths, I didn't need convincing, which rendered many micro-font footnotes about the sources of dates pointless for me. I'm not built for skimming or skipping, and this was a real exercise in calibrating my pace to the appropriate level of detail. It still ended up as a 686-page boondoggle, though I'm thankful for what I did learn.

Even apart from the story of A.A., this is an interesting window into the late 30s, specifically 1937-1939. The way people wrote and talked. Their concerns. The culture. The action primarily takes place in New York City and Akron, Ohio, and I felt myself constantly thinking of the folks on the other side of the country working on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; a milieu near and dear to my heart.

Alcoholics Anonymous was written, well, anonymously, but over time it became clear that William G. Wilson (aka Bill Wilson) was at least the primary author. Schaberg demonstrates that he was more than that. While Wilson sought contributors and outside involvement from the outset, it seems that as he wrote, he wanted more control over the final product. Chapters ascribed to "the wives" or other voices were actually just Bill. And yet, there were many personal stories that did indeed originate with the members of what was to become A.A., as well as an effort to recruit editors to whittle the book to its essentials. It was amusing to read about editing in a book that could have benefited from aggressive editing itself.

Another task of Writing the Big Book was to strip the founders of their sainthood, as Wilson and others clearly attempted to accomplish during their own lives. They were recovering alcoholics with tempers and debts and complicated stories and broken relationships, and some of them (such as Parkhurst) were highly influential, yet slipped and fell off the wagon and were subsequently erased from the history.

It was fascinating to see the difference between the fledgling groups in New York and Akron - as yet unnamed and without a codified list of 12 steps - as they debated over the best ways to rescue "men" (it was mostly men) from their "allergy" (a strange way to refer to addiction) to alcohol. The Akron crowd was beholden to the Oxford Group, an explicitly religious, Christian organization that insisted on full submission to God and exposed recruits to proselytization unrelated to alcoholism. Bill Wilson and others from the New York scene sought to create an organization that could expand to help more drinkers, but Akron bristled at any mention of paid positions, or dues, or structure beyond that resembling the early church. As Bill pitched the book project, Akron steadfastly refused to support the effort, especially when it came to selling shares. The New York group included an outspoken atheist, and there was pressure to tamp down the religious language and requirements, leading to A.A.'s innovation of the phrase "God as you understand him" (which Schaberg still can't positively give any individual credit for).

The most frustrating thing was to hear about all of the hard work Bill Wilson, Hank Parkhurst, Fritz Mayo, Bob Smith, and others put into the book and/or the operation while getting little or no compensation. The entire enterprise was doomed to fail at so many points, and so many potential windfalls were snatched out from under them. John D. Rockefeller Jr. showed an early interest in the group but limited his assistance to $500, which only went so far. They tried to get attention from Henry Ford, another passionate teetotaler and industry captain, but were deflected by his retinue. Numerous popular magazines agreed to run stories about the group and the book, then reneged or made additional demands. Bills went unpaid. Marriages were strained. Mortgages were ransacked. Wilson lost his home. Printing the book cost more than the money they had pulled in from shares. The entire enterprise teetered on the brink of failure at each turn, and I could have hardly blamed them if they had given up. When the book mercifully ends, it leaves the story of the book's success assumed and untold, robbing the reader of some long-awaited relief.

And that's all Schaberg wanted to solve: the writing of the book itself. Which changes were made where. When the 12 steps emerged from 4, or 6. How compromises were made to sooth religious sensibilities and please all parties. Who wrote the various testimonials. After that, the rest is left to history, and other historians. I'd like to have known how A.A. transitioned into its decentralized form, and how they handle the book profits and lack of member dues, or learn about their success rates. None of that is here. Again, I'm glad for the knowledge, but I wish I could recommend a 200-page version for those just wanting the salient details.

[Wendell Finner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This well-researched book has absolutely fascinating detail about the early years of Alcoholics Anonymous. Using archives of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Stepping Stone Foundation Schaberg paints a month-by-month picture of the peiod from 1935 through 1939 when AA was founded and publicized through the creation of its basic text. He exhaustively shows how the book was primarily written by AA founder Bill Wilson based on Henry Parkhurst's outline, and details the mostly unsuccessful efforts of Wilson and Parkhurst to promote the organization to the rich and powerful of the time.

The weaker chapters of Schaberg's work discuss particular Big Book chapters which didn't have much in the way of source documents such as intermediate drafts or correspondence. Schaberg pads these parts heavily by reiterating the text of the book. Though this might be helpful to those who have never before read the "Big Book," it can be a slog for the reader who seeks detail about the writing process rather than a summary of the Big Book's content. Nonetheless, Schaberg's extensive detail -- he actually brings receipts, including the printer's invoice -- makes this book not to be missed by anybody interested in the history of A.A.

[Jim Lavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What wonderful research the author did writing this book. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most influential books of our times. It was so well written and thought through I often wondered how they did it, and Schaberg’s book tells you exactly how, why and when they did what they did.

The 800 pages of his book shares so much about the development and personal stories of building A.A. It’s hard to capture the essence of this spiritual revolution that changed the lives of millions of people. Naturally, there were politics, economics, and personal egos all involved, and it’s a miracle that they were able to put it together and that it has grown to such an extent as it is today. Today, the book has been translated into 87 different languages.

The founders of the Big Book, and there were many, put their careers and lives on the line to create this program of recovery and thank God they did. I highly recommend “Writing the Bib Book” to anyone who is interested in the history of the 12-step programs of recovery. The author has done a great job providing the history and background on the Writing of the Big Book.

[Patrick Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing of the Big Book
By William H Schaeberg

- [ ] This is a 37 hour long book, I will be reading it over months
- [ ] The four main eye witness; Bill, Ebby, an atheist and the first secretary - all unreliable sources
- [ ] This book relies on actual primary sources and the objective facts. The people have embellished memories. Bill created a myth and story to sell AA. He spoke in great stories, parables, mythological, changing stories. Take anything Bill says with a grain of salt. Bills defects do not take away from the good that he did
- [ ] Hank Parker’s contribution was dropped. He was Bill’s right hand man and an early AA but drank soon after the book was published. He has largely been dropped from the history of AA
- [ ] Ebby tells a different story of their encounter then Bill. Bill did not care about facts, the message and principal was more important than the facts of the story. Stories were changed to make people look better, to cover up bad parts, and to be a better message
- [ ] The Oxford Group: Dr Bob did not break with them until ‘39. Bill in ‘37
- [ ] Bill’s grand plan for spreading the word of AA; write a book, alcoholic hospitals across the country, paid missionaries
- [ ] He was not a stock broker, he was a stock speculator. In ‘37 he lost his job in a stock market crash. He would never again have a job outside of AA. He would however continue to chase jobs for the rest of his life. He also never fully let go of the reigns of AA. ‘37 is the same year that he officially broke the New York group away from the Oxford group
- [ ] It was clear early on from the Rockefellers that money and any sort of professionalism would distort and ruin AA
- [ ] Bob was not recognized as cofounder until late ‘40s. Hank Parker and Ebby both had better claims but they both drank again. Bob did not drink, Bob became cofounder partly by default. Bill needed a cofounder so he would not become a god
- [ ] Bob was the not saint he is built to be. Bob was always much more religious than Bill. They did have disagreements but they remained devoted to helping alcoholics. Bob remained a religious man, believing in Christian principles, while Bill was a seeker and using a variety of different spiritual tools. Notable books are ‘Sermon on the Mount’ and ‘Varieties of Religious Experience’
- [ ] Bill had flaws but he had a sincere desire to help alcoholics and his intentions were altruistic much more than any desire for fame and fortune
- [ ] The only money that the Rockefeller’s gave was a one time donation of $5,000 to keep Dr. Bob afloat while he continued to helped alcoholics. There would be no hospitals or professional workers. Money would ruin AA. Bob needed the limited amount of money while he was still rebuilding his practice and helping other alcoholics, that was all the money that would be given. Almost all of the fundraising from the wealthy was rejected
- [ ] Bill was offered a job at a fancy sanatorium as a lay therapist, he would be paid a large sum. When brought to the group, he was strongly rejected. He could not become a professional worker of AA. Bill would point to this as the creation of the second step
- [ ] The alcoholic fund - could only accept donations from people that have directly benefited from AA. New York still needed money. The alcoholic fund would evolve in to the AA general service office. The goal was to further the work of AA
- [ ] They needed money for the book. Hank Parkhurst and Bill would be the primary writers. Hank P is an important name. Hank and Bill would be the primary profiteers of the book
- [ ] Charles Towns would provide significant money to AA and to Bill W. Towns owned the hospital that offered the job to Bill. Towns gave money for Bill to write the book. Towns hospital was the hospital that Bill had his white light experience in
- [ ] Silkworth was the chief of staff at Towns Hospital. The chapter on obsession, compulsion, and the being a physical allergy
- [ ] Akron was strongly against the book. They were much more religious and conservative. They did not want to promote AA and were fine with the slow private spread of AA. Bill was the biggest pusher of the book
- [ ] Loquacious, driven, hyperactive, frivolous, charming, creative - I wonder if Bill had ADHD

Writing the book
- [ ] Bill had never written a book and did not know where to start. Hank P suggested what would become the first two chapters
- [ ] He went through many edits. He was long winded and was not an excellent writer. He had never written a book before, he was not a writer
- [ ] Writing as Bill W, in the anonymous form, began at the start. He always wrote in that form
- [ ] He originally wrote four steps but they resemble the 12 steps and explicitly mention what would become eight of the twelve steps
- [ ] The origin of ‘god as I understand him’ is unknown and deeply debated. It does seem to have an earlier origin than claimed and does seem to come from Bill. AAs lack of dogma and pragmatism, around the this phrasing is a revolution and allows the program to be accessible to all
- [ ] Bill can be given almost sole credit for the writing and wording of the 12 steps. Others expanded upon their usage but Bill was the original author. Credit must be given to Bill in this venue

- [ ] Akron officially broke from the Oxford group on late ‘39. What was taken from the Oxford group was surrender to god, being absolutely honesty, and an admission of moral inventory. The four musts from the Oxford group were dropped
- [ ] There were 8 reasons Bill had for leaving the Oxford group. Ultimately it was their self promotion, lack of tolerance, rigidity towards fundamentalist Christian membership and values, absolutes, and belief that the cure to alcoholism was religious and was a moral failing. Bill was committed to helping alcoholics, not promoting religion
- [ ] Bill admitted that he had become an orthodox Christian, but he could promote that belief was a means to get sober. Silkworth told him to stop preaching. Bill ultimately showed tremendous pragmatism and openness to the wording and role of religion in AA
- [ ] Bill showed increasing tolerance and acceptance to people of different faiths, backgrounds, and experiences. If they were a drunk, they had the right to get sober. In Bill’s AA all had a right to get sober if they had a desire to quit drinking

Chapter 2: there is a solution
- [ ] The religious experience is imperative. It is meant to be as open a spiritual experience as possible. The book goes out of its way to be a broad, open, tolerant, accepting, loving, spiritual experience. It remains an amazing phrasing. The dropping of dogma, acceptance of all faiths and spiritual experiences, separates AA from all other groups and religions
- [ ] Psychology first v religious first solutions. ‘There is a solution’ rejects both of these camps and forms a middle ground, that is tolerant and dropping dogma. The chapter is purely Bill’s, it forms the foundation of the book and it is rooted solidly in his experience

- [ ] Hank P is credited with creating the name AA
- [ ] Jim - the vicious cycle story. Was an ardent atheist. He lead to the GOD of ‘a group of drunks.’ At the time peoples sobriety was still shaky, when a member drank, all were concerned about their own and the groups sobriety. When Jim drank he did not receive the same welcome as he was the atheist. He died in ‘74 being the oldest living member from the early days, getting sober in ‘38
- [ ] Hank wrote an outline for the book. He is not given credit for this outline but it would constitute what would largely represent the final chapters. He included emphasis on and use of many personal stories. He wrote ‘to employers.’ His biggest contribution was the constant push to write and publish a book. He was the driving force behind getting Bill to write the book. He wanted to use it to raise money, but was the man that got Bill to write the book. He had an enormous contribution to AA
- [ ] Bill suggested Anne Smith to write the chapter ‘to wives’ but she strongly denied his offer and refusing to offer it to Louise. This story is false and is simply AA legend
- [ ] Bill, Hank, and New York moved forward with the writing of the book, beyond the first two chapters, without the approval of the Akron group
- [ ] Fitz M is one of most important voices in AA story. He is ‘our southern friend.’ He was close friends with the Wilson’s. He struggled with family and marriage challenges. He was a deeply religious man. He was best friends with Jim B, the atheist/agnostic
- [ ] There is so much about fundraising. Apparently there were a ton of working alcoholics, it would benefit these companies if there was a solution to get these employees sober. Much of the sales pitch was based on helping companies with alcoholic workers
- [ ] The book was a sales pitch and to raise money
- [ ] The Silkworth letter was a significant endorsement
- [ ] There were very few meetings of Frank M, Dr Bob, Bill W, and Hank P, all four together. The four most prominent members of early AA. They only met once in 1938, and there are no recordings, notes, or minutes of this meeting. It’s possible they were not planning the future, rather talking about the importance of being sober
- [ ] The original title of the book was ‘100 men’
- [ ] By the time that the Saturday Evening Post article was published in ‘41. There were over 2,000 members, meetings in many states, and an office that had been operating for two years

More about alcoholism and we agnostics
- [ ] Bill’s belief is that a true alcoholic is completely powerless to the insanity and compulsion of the first drink. The answer is god. These two chapters are steps 1 & 2, the foundation of the program
- [ ] Bill was not intending for the extreme liberal belief that ‘we agnostics’ has come to take
- [ ] Spiritual - belief in a personal god
- [ ] Readers can believe in any god that they can pray to and rely on. It had to be a supreme being that a person has a personal relationship with
- [ ] It has never been identified or established how accurate the milk story and the man who did not drink for 25 years and then drank and died within five. They are not fabricated stories

- [ ] There have been some claims that Bill pulled, borrowed, plagiarized from Dick Peabody’s ‘A Common Sense to Drinking’
- [ ] Pull was influenced from four books William James’s ‘Varieties of Religious Experience’, Emmet Fox’s ‘Sermon on the Mount’, Dick Peabody’s ‘Common Sense of Drinking’, and Lewis Browne’s ‘This Believing World’

- [ ] Hank insists that they self publish and AA retains full control of the book. Bill was offered a $1,500 advance from Harpers but Hank convinced him to turn it down. Instead Charles Towns gave him the same amount as an advance
- [ ] There is an important section on Hank selling stocks in the 100 man corporation. He was constantly pushing to make money and when they could not raise the funds he created the 100 man corporation. With 600 shares, 200 would go to him, 200 to Bill, and the rest would be sold at $25 a share. He wrote a business proposal that was overly optimistic and lacked detail on the operations of AA. He was hounding people to buy shares, very few ever did. This brings up the conflict of who owns and who profits from AA. It certainly looked as Hank and Bill owned and profited the most from AA. This section of the book makes Hank look rather sketchy. Ultimately GSO would buy back the shares at $25 a piece. All profits would benefit alcoholics, not the founders
- [ ] The selling of stocks, 100 man corporation, and moving forward with writing the book, were kept hidden from the Akron group. The Akron group remained opposed to sort of money, spreading of AA, or writing of the book. Bill was not a popular man in Akron
- [ ] What Akron did contribute were stories, they were reluctant to share their stories but Bill needed them. He hounded Bob to collect stories from from Akron members. They would contribute 14 stories

- [ ] The writing of the book was not a collaborative effort, as AA legend would want one to believe. It was almost solely written by Bill. The myth of the collaborative effort was partly started and perpetuated by Bill to be a check on his ego, avoid worshiping him, and to create a more inclusive program. Bill did elicit feedback but few people gave it. There was not significant group input. Fitz and Hank provided the most feedback
- [ ] Hank gave vociferous feedback, arguing regularly on almost every section of the book. Hank pushed for moral psychology as the solution and not religion. He lost most of these battles with Bill but he won some
- [ ] Hank always resisted the spiritual approach. Ebby never embraced working with others. Ebby’s frequent slips troubled Bill
- [ ] There is no primary documents of Bill’s process of writing the steps. It was the last section he wrote and the one he struggled with the most, writing the exact program of AA. It claims to be a sudden moment that came to him, it was likely a gradual process
- [ ] Bill continually downplayed is role in the creation of AA and the writing of the book. He did this as a check on his ego. Reality is that he wrote the book, wrote the 12 steps, and he is the founder of the program
- [ ] In these first few years the program was a mishmash of Oxford group, 12 step, and trust god, clean house, help others. With a heavy emphasis on the spiritual side
- [ ] The 12 steps are drawn from Bill’s personal experience
- [ ] In New York there was a great debate about the wording of the 12 steps. Primarily this fight was between the psychology approach of Hank and the spiritual approach of Bill, with Fitz playing a large role on Bill’s side. Hank again did not want god at all in the steps and Bill wanting more god. Bill ultimately but slowly relented to taking some of god out of the steps. This is seen most in ‘god as we understood him’, taking out the getting on our knees in the seventh step, and ‘god as we understood him’ in the 11 step
- [ ] ‘god as we understood him’ is the most important phrase in AA. It opens the program to everyone. It makes the matter of god a personal idea instead of the idea of AA. There is debate on the originator of this phrase

The multilith printing
- [ ] The Dr’s Opinion was originally published anonymously, to prevent association or endorsement of Towns Hospital and because it was still a risk for Silkworth to publicly be associated with alcoholics. His name was added in ‘54 with the second edition
- [ ] The phenomenon of craving and obsession, entire abstinence is necessary, the spiritual solution. Hank is the first man in the story, who Silkworth had declared hopeless and incurable but returned a year later unrecognizable sober. The second man is Fitz M. He later used nine paragraphs in a scientific article on alcoholics. Notably the stories of Hank, Fitz, and Bill
- [ ] The author of this book is a rare book dealer. The impedes for writing this book was coming across Jim Burrell’s copy that had ‘2 of first 100’ written in it, and tracking down how many copies of the multilith were printed. There is debate and it is unclear exactly how many were printed. It was likely one large printing with a few smaller printings
- [ ] ‘The book that started it all’ - the hazlden multilith printing with the edits
- [ ] With was printed without a valid copy write and immediately entered the public domain
- [ ] Bill and Hank received the first copies of the multilith in the morning of February 20th, 1939


- [ ] Bill, Bob, Hank, and other members were basically broke at this time. Bill even had his house repossessed
- [ ] When Akron found out about selling of stock on April ‘39, they were absolutely opposed. It confirmed their worst fears about Bill. They never wanted finances in their spirituality. This resentment towards Bill persisted into the ‘50s, a resentment lead by Clancy. With thorough review of AA finances, there has never been evidence of impropriety by Bill
- [ ] The Hazelden copy has significant parts of Hank’s handwriting for suggested edits
- [ ] The biggest edits to the final copy was adding four paragraphs to Bill’s story. These paragraphs discuss ‘a power greater than myself’ and a ‘personal god.’ This insert was handwritten by Hank and approved by Bill. It is unclear who added it and why, but it’s plausible that it was a concession that Bill made to Hank. The words were Ebby suggesting ‘a personal god’ to Bill but it unlikely that he actually said these words when he visited Bill. It is also an explicit addition of the second step into Bill’s story
- [ ] Catholics were forbidden from attending the Oxford group. Bill was worried that Catholics would be unwelcome in AA. Bill wanted an inclusive program. It was an Irish Catholic that joined AA, Morgan Ryan, that got the book to a Catholic Committee on Publication. The church had only one suggestion, take out ‘nor even in heaven on earth’ and adjust it to ‘utopia,’ in the final sentence of Bill’s story. They had a few minor suggestions to the pray and meditation section, some of these were accepted but it is unclear what they were
- [ ] The most significant changes came from a New Jersey psychologist, Dr. Howard. He argued with Bill that the wording and program must switch from an assertive/corecion program to a suggestive program. ‘You must do that, you need to, you should do this’ should be changed to ‘we suggest, we did this and certain results followed.’ It is a ‘we program’ and not a ‘you program.’ Dogma, authoritarianism, and force must be removed. Hank wrote a memo that was able to gently but firmly convinced Bill to change
- [ ] Wow, this changes the book and makes it attainable to all people. The book is not dogmatic, it is a program of suggestions
- [ ] There extensive edits and suggestions to ‘how it works,’ primarily taking out ‘you’ and replacing it ‘we.’ Eliminating ‘getting on your knees’ in the seventh step. The editing of this section, a section that is read at the start of many meetings, changed AA to an inclusive and less dogmatic program. The changes allow this program to be accessible to all

- [ ] The author is not a member of the program. She makes a few leaps, to fit assumptions/narrative. She suggests on a multiple occasions that more work needs to be done on ‘this person, or this time period, or this history.’ That they would make for great books or doctoral dissertations. She once cites Wikipedia, another time states ‘an extensive search of the internet by the author.’ This is a great book but I question the credentials and claims of the author

Publication
- [ ] April 10, 1939
- [ ] It ended the flying blind phase. There was not a definitive program of recover
- [ ] April 10, should be the founding day

Aftermath
- [ ] The third AA meeting was started in Cleveland, started by Clarence Snyder. It broke from the Akron group to protect the Catholics from the Oxford group. It was called AA. It quickly grew to be larger than NY and Akron. It was based on the four absolutes, twelve steps, and big book
- [ ] Hank drinks in ‘39, within 5 months of the publication of the book. His drinking was a tragedy of the first order and testament of the power of alcoholism. He seethed in bitterness, resentment, and never returned to AA. He is the cofounder that drank. He is essential, central, and core to the founding and success of AA. Sadly he has been erased from AA history. Much if this book is shining a light on Hank Parkhurst

- [ ] The book has sold over 37 million copies despite never being on a best seller list and being in the public domain. It in one of the most influential books written in the 20th century
- [ ] I am not going to read the appendices
- edited down because my initial notes were too long

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

11 years of research--I always wonder if an author would sign-up for such a journey if they really knew ahead of time, what was in store. William answered me, but the answer doesn't stick with me, I think he went back to topic he was so passionate about. Is it helpful for an author to be realistic about their endeavor? I guess it's not a yes/no answer, even if the question if framed that way.

What impresses me, beyond the dedication and discipline with which the evidence is laid out, is that this 800 page behemoth reads more like a detective novel than a history book. Schaberg is obviously enthusiastic about letting the documentary research tell it's story. Much of the history of AA didn't start getting asked about or written down until about 20 years later. What was recalled, told and repeated for the next 60 years doesn't line up with with what the recorded documents tell us about the 18 months that led to the publication of a book that the Library of Congress would call one of 88 books from the 20th century that shaped American life. Some myths fall by the wayside, including the popular idea that the book was a collective effort and that the Twelve Steps were born of a widely practices six-step process from the gutter to right living. A clearer, more factual story isn't any less remarkable.

Great organization goes into notes and sources. At the time of this review, the publisher is initiating a third printing. Anyone who had at least a passing interest in the self-help/mutual-aid movement ought to find much they like in this work.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exhaustively researched history of the writing of the Big Book of AA. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it very much! I came away with a far greater understanding and appreciation of AA and how it came into being. I especially enjoyed learning about Hank Parkhurst and his contributions!! Hank is an unsung hero of AA, who deserves far more credit. Of course, Bill Wilson will always be the "Father" of AA and he wrote most of the book himself, but Hank's contributions to temper the religious aspects of the program added immeasurably! I believe that tens of millions more people have been helped than otherwise would have been, thanks to his contributions to this book. Highly recommended!!

[Rod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, this is a BIG book about the Big Book (which has never been its actual title, btw). I took it a little at a time, about a chapter a day, which worked well as I didn't get overwhelmed with the details but did find the investigative work fascinating, as the author separated the stories (and many versions of stories) from one another and used historical records when available to try to clarify what really happened. As with most origin stories, it's all much messier than people wish to believe. Which is okay. Life can be messy. But far less so since I've been in recovery.

[Matthew Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book but not for the faint of heart with regards to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. If the reader is a member of AA and does not enjoy the idea of certain myths regarding Bill W, Ebby Thatcher, Dr. Bob, etc. being obliterated, then the book is to be avoided. But if the reader is interested in an accurate history of AA's founding and a thorough re-humanization of its founders, then the book is to be recommended. I, for one, prefer the true and human story to the mythic one.

[Michael Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read 'Not-God' by Enerst Kurtz, and the AAWS-approved AA histories like, 'Pass it On', 'Dr Bob...', I thought I had a pretty good grasp on AA history. But then I read this work by Schaberg.

Really a great read for anyone interested in AA history, or, for that matter, early 20th century history. The story of AA is an all-American story.

[Ray A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best AA history book since Ernie Kurtz' "Not-God." Contains details about the writing of the Big Book not found elsewhere. A very thick book but an easy read.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative....and long.

[Constantine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superbly well researched, this book sheds a lot of light on the early days of AA, the writing of the Big Book, and the myths that have accumulated around both.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is difficult for me review this book. On the one hand it is way too long but the incredible detail lead to a much deeper understanding of the people, their struggles, and tenacity in getting the book together. In particular, the story of Henry G Parkhurst, one of the true forces behind the book, I’m not sure can be found any where else.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "Alcoholics Anonymous" has saved the lives of thousands of people who would have otherwise died a miserable death while taking family, friends and businesses with them. Exactly how the book came to be written has been the stuff of rumor, myth and legend. The author of "Writing the Big Book" manages to demystify the process and reveal one person, Hank Parkhurst, who contributed mightily to the shaping and managing of the book, but who is rarely mentioned now because he got drunk and never really recovered after the publishing of the book.

Although Bill Wilson did his best to downplay his contribution, he did the majority of the writing, made the decisions as to what would go into it or not and basically molded the program of Alcoholics Anonymous into what it has become today. Essentially, the process by which Bill became sober became the Program of AA. By documenting that process in the Big Book, each new member of AA, after reading the book, can repeat that process, become sober and in most cases remain sober.

The group Alcoholics Anonymous is named after the book itself. The book became known as "The Big Book" because it was originally printed on cheaper paper that was generally thicker and thus made the book quite a bit larger than the average book of the time.

This account of the writing of the Big Book is detailed and very long. It is for people who are very interested in this sort of subject, such as scholars and history writers. It is by no means complete and the author helpfully points out areas where a history student might consider a doctoral thesis on a subject.

I own the audiobook and I intend to listen to it again sometime in the future.

FYI, the narrator is a woman, Natasha Soudek, and she does a good job, but I always worried that she might hurt her voice. The majority of the people in this narrative were men so she tried lowering her voice whenever directly quoting them, but I never really had the sense of a man speaking in those moments. That changed my perception slightly and I almost took a star off the rating for that, but I decided that it didn't matter. The overall force of the book carried the day.

[Harold F DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A "Must Read" for understanding AA.

After spending two decades in recovery, I found myself in the doldrums of contented sobriety. Newcomers were attracted to younger members of the fellowship. I have been "helping" my sponsees with their sponsorship activities. This book broke me out! It made me remember that the program is meant to be dynamic, never static. The reintroduction to Hank Parkhurst into AA's development is important.

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rich in detail, carefully and thoughtfully written and researched. There were many nuggets of information for the history buffs of A.A., namely the significant influence of Hank Parkhurst on the Big Book itself, Ebby's meeting with Bill in the beginning, the composition of the Twelve Steps, and more. William Schaberg meticulously sifted through hundreds of primary sources to confirm what he wrote. It will stand as the definitive history of the "Writing of the Big Book."

[John Donohue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spectacular and important contribution to the history of AA and the story of what really happened in the writing of the Big Book. The use of rigorous historical review and process results in the de mythification of how AA came to be and how the book was written. The rigor of the author brought light into areas I had both questions about and accepted as true.

[Maurice Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting history of the big books writing. It is good to hear about these humble beginnings and about the real people who were around when the big book was written. You wonder what it would be like now.

[Annalisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a very well researched book which pits AA’s founders stories against other contemporary records. It’s probably a good fit for someone who already has a good context for AA, it’s culture & origins. It didn’t serve me well as an introduction/ first book on the topic.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, but way too long.

[T Anthony Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A seminal and detailed research review of a book that has changed millions of lives for the better.

[Ross Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

The level of detail was a bit much at times but if you’re looking for a/the definitive historical account of the creation of the Big Book, this is it.

[Elías Ortigosa]

Es más largo que un día sin pan y tiene más notas que el Copicentro, pero vale la pena: una investigación exhaustiva que respeta a los hacedores de AA (los famosos y los ocultos) y los desmitifica.

[James Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great history of early AA and the authorship of the Big Book.

[Roger Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excelent reference volume. I found it most enlightening- using in conjuction with Alcoholics Anonymous for speaking engagements etc.