The first edition refers to a book s first printing run. The big book was originally published in 1939 by aa founders bill w. With publication of the second edition in 1955, the third edition in 1976. One motive impelling wilson to write twelve steps and twelve traditions had been the realization that the original text of the big book, alcoholics. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large. This is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. Call 419 5635905 or email abookman for more information, order a big book, or to sell your books. 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. Reproduction of the first printing of the first edition aa. If your copy is a 3rd printing, or a book club edition, it wont have the same value as a first edition. First printings are rare, signed and inscribed copies exceptionally so.
Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. But in addition to popularity, condition makes a significant difference in the value of a first edition book, particularly the dust jacket. Includes a reproduction of the original dustjacket. W e, ofalcoholics anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. The holy grail of aa big book collections heads to auction fine. Alcoholics anonymous facsimile first printing of the first edition. A seventh printing sold for 2,750 several years ago but you are unlikely to find that printing as cheap as that again. There have been numerous reprints and revisions, in addition to translations into dozens of languages. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Aa big book aa big book taghere the foundation progress and principles washington.
The second edition 1955 consisted of 1,150,000 copies. In the world of book collecting, a first edition is generally considered to be the first appearance of a work, in its first printing. Alcoholics anonymous big books for sale, find first, second, third, fourth and international editions. A guide to collecting alcoholics anonymous big book. The big book of alcoholics anonymous including twelve steps and twelve. 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.
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. The following is a list ofapproximately 150 promises that i compiled from the first edition of the big book. 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. This was the version of the big book distributed to friends and colleagues of aa s founders before the first edition was printed. The book is published by alcoholics anonymous world services. 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. A first edition print of alcoholics anonymous big book, in mint condition can be worth as much as any collector is willing to pay. Compare your book to the details of each book listed, comparing the publisher, year published, edition, condition, and any physical description of the book. 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. But for older books, or books originally published by small imprints, the first run may have been as few as 100 copies. Wilson, one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa.
Cornwall press was contracted to print the book in 1939. Alcoholics anonymous 1st edition 1st printing 1939 dj aa. With the help of other early members, the book alcoholics anonymous. Alcoholics anonymous first edition bill wilson first edition signed. 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. 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. The story of how more than one hundred men have recovered from alcoholism was written in 1939. This is a reproduction of the 1938 original manuscript of alcoholics anonymous. This is the official website of the general service office g. Alcoholics anonymousthe big book has served as a lifeline to millions worldwide. Many of us have heard of the ninth step promises from page 8384 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous.
Alcoholics anonymous first edition first printings 1939. 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. A guide to collecting alcoholics anonymous big book abebooks. A great book for completing the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous. It includes four simple yet powerful worksheets for doing aas 4th step and a very simple and powerful approach to step 7. Alcoholics anonymous big books 1939 first editions, first printings.
Classes were attended by the many newcomers who were then joining the group and they were run using a set. Wilson inscribes this copy in blue ink, to fred this in grateful memory of your friendship and of the old days. 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 first edition first printings 1939 for sale. This is the second edition of the book alcoholics anonymous, which made its first appearance in april 1939. It is the originator of the seminal twelvestep method widely used to. It took almost two years to sell the 4,650 copies of the first printing. Alcoholics anonymous big book audio read aloud youtube.
Unfollow aa big book first edition to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Foreword to first edition this is the foreword as it appeared in the. Alcoholics anonymous first edition bill wilson first edition. An affordable reproduction of the original big booka a. More than 300,000 copies of the first edition are now in circulation. Addition and subtraction books meet your next favorite book. There are, however, additional promises in the big book.
Aa speakers prayers, promises and selfforgiveness new 20 duration. Videos or graphic images may not be downloaded, copied or duplicated without the express written permission of alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. Quite simply, it is the initial printing of a book after the book proofadvance copy. At first this can become somewhat confusing because when a book becomes very popular and is often reprinted many times over a number. 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. Back in print for the first time in more than 65 years, the original 1946 edition reveals firsthand how some of a. 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. When a book is sold for the first time, that is called the book s first edition. Initially titled the twelve steps, it was affectionately nicknamed the little red book. How to identify first editions or a first printing of a book. The text of this document, original manuscript, was left just as it originally appeared in 1938. Works publishing company, april 1939, hardcover 400pp. Save aa big book first edition to get email alerts and updates on your ebay feed. 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.
The fourth edition includes twentyfour new stories that provide contemporary sharing for newcomers seeking recovery from alcoholism in a. All nineteen books are first edition printings and are signed by the founding members of the aa fellowship. 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. Alcoholics anonymous big books for sale, first second third. 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. 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. Since the first edition appeared, in 1939, it has helped millions of men and women recover from alcoholism. Compared to the original this reproduction has the same content and appearance but is not as thick. For some blockbuster titles, this can be as many as 50,000 copies or more. We would love to have a conversation with you about the book you would like to sell. 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. 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.
Alcoholics anonymous first edition 14th printing 1951 origina dj 1st aa big book. Some of the promises are directly associated with completion of a step. Alcoholics anonymous first edition, first printing hardcover book, signed and inscribed by aa cofounder bill wilson on the front free endpaper. Alcoholics anonymous 1st edition 15th printing 1954 dj first edition aa big book.
Twelve steps and twelve traditions first edition signed. The first edition is interested in buying specific rare books and we offer great prices and secure payment options. Alcoholics anonymous big book audio read aloud duration. Although the book launched one of the great spiritual movements of the 20th century, the. Alcoholics anonymous the big book is one of the bestselling books of all time, having sold 30 million copies. 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. Buy first edition books for sale at auction invaluable. We of alcoholics anonymous believe that the reader will be interested in the medical estimate of the plan of recovery described in this book. Several more expensive copies are available via abebooks. Part i pioneers of aa acceptance was the answer previously doctor, alcoholic, addict 439 407 dr. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. Alcoholics anonymous first edition, first printing 1939 big book ny.
Technically the phrase first edition consists of the first printing plus any additional printings of the same first edition. 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. 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. How much is a first edition alcoholics anonymous book worth. It was printed on thick paper and had wide margins. Aa first edition, first printing april, 1939 big books available for purchase.
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