The Big Book – Alcoholics Anonymous

The Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, doesn’t really need a review. First written in 1939, mostly by A.A.’s co-founder Bill W. with the help of maybe 100 original members, it’s the foundation text for all 12 Step Programs.

As a writer and editor in the new century, I can certainly pick at the way it was written, but I don’t. Oh, sure I think it would be great if A.A. World Services would issue a companion Big Book that used gender neutral terms. And some of the stories make me crazy.

But the truth is this book saved my life just as it is. One of the things that no longer surprises me, but always amuses me is that I seem to have a self-editing edition. That is, every time I dip into the Big Book it seems to have changed a bit. Of course, what’s really going on is my perspective and understanding have changed, so I read it differently.

Now in Debtors Anonymous (DA) I find the Big Book just as useful as I did back when I first got sober.

With love, blessings, and gratitude,