Alcoholics Anonymous: The Big Book, 4th Edition
by Anonymous
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Book Summary Information
Author: AnonymousEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-02-10
ISBN: 1893007170
Number of pages: 576
Publisher: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Book Reviews of Alcoholics Anonymous: The Big Book, 4th Edition
Book Review: Old Timer or Bleeding Deacon? Choose
Summary: 5 Stars
I am Mike, and I am grateful to a loving God, who chose me to be an alcoholic, addict, and CoDA.
The stories found in this Fourth Edition of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Basic Sacred Scripture for the Church of the Non-Drinking, are a definite upgrade to the Third Edition, which led me to not drinking on May 28, 1978.
However, even this Fourth Edition is not tamper-free. The First through Third Printings of this Fourth Edition contained the following sentence on page xxiv: "Fundamentally, though, the difference between an electronic meeting and the home group is only one of format." The Printings of January and February 2002 carried this sentence, whereas the Fourth Printing, of April 2002 deleted it.
Similarly, there is a nationwide brouhaha concerning the changed punctuation of Dr. Bob Smith's story from the Third Edition to the Fourth Edition, perhaps a tempest in a teapot, full of sound and fury signifying personalities over principles. The first 164 pages are considered inerrant, and cannot be changed by the successors to Bob and Bill. However, Dr. Bob's story does not fall within this 1986 ukase. One also notes that the Copyrights on the First and Second Editions were not renewed; hence, all of the materials contained therein may be changed, edited, and redacted without recourse to GSO. The same is not true for international editions, since they are protected under the more liberal standards of post-1976 U.S. copyright norms.
Despite criticism, the 4th Edition does not use inclusive language in the first 164 pages, nor change the patristic Chapter to the Wives. [N.B. It is generally known that Bill W. did not write the Chapter to the Employers, nor, apparently, the Chapter to the Wives.] The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Editions were unnecessarily misogynistic in extremis. The traditional/historical pages do not reflect that, currently, over 40% of AAs are female. At the time the Big Book was drafted, there were no female AAs. [The First Edition has one female story, which was not carried over to the 2nd Edition.] Dr. Bob refused to sponsor women, after an early 13th Step. [See "Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers."] Further many have great difficulty in affixing the male gender pronouns to their own Higher Power. [This also reflects AA's early Christian Trinitarian creeds of the Oxford Group, which is unacceptable to those not holding with traditional theology/dogma. {The Mimeo Edition used the phrase "God as I understand God" rather than the printed version of "God as I understand "Him".}"
The multilith/typed version of the Big Book [available from GSO upon request] contained 20 stories from the 1938 membership of less than 80. [One story, "Ace Full - Seven Eleven", did not make it from the Multilith edition to the 1st edition. One 1st edition story, "Lone Endeavor", did not make it into the second printing of the 1st edition.] Nineteen of the original multilith stories were included in the 1st edition, and ten more stories were added to the multilith collection for the 1st edition since the Big Book was skimpy in contents, despite being printed on extra thick paper, and was packaged and priced as a 1939 coffee-table book @ $3.50.
The cost of printing each First Edition Big Book was 35¢, for an anticipated profit of 1,000%. These anticipated profits were to be used for treatment centers and missionaries. [The minimum wage in 1939 was 25¢ per hour = 14 hours of labor needed to purchase a copy of the Big Book. The equivalent 2004 price for the Big Book would be $70!]
The Fourth Edition of the Big Book has been reduced in price from the Third Edition, since substantial royalties are no longer paid to Lois Wilson's nieces and nephews, and to Bill Wilson's former mistress.
Bill Wilson restructured the 1st edition in 1955. Only two stories from the 1st edition were retained intact. Three were edited, one of which was retitled. Two stories were completely rewritten, and 30 new stories were added to the 2nd edition for a total of 38 stories. The 1st edition, first printing, had 30 stories. The 1st and 2nd editions of the Big Book and the stories contained therein are in the Public Domain, i.e. not subject to copyright restrictions.
The 3rd edition contained only 10 additional stories not found in the 2nd edition. Twelve of the stories in the 3rd edition were credited to "The A.A. Grapevine, Inc.", a personal newsletter originated by Bill Wilson to communicate directly to the membership. [This data crediting "The A.A. Grapevine, Inc." was omitted from the later printings of the 3rd edition.] Five of the stories in the 4th edition are credited to "The A.A. Grapevine, Inc."
In the early printings of the Big Book, stories were dropped if the author had gone back to drinking. [Mrs. Marty Mann is an exception, and her story from the Second Edition, not the first woman's story that is found only in the First Edition, remains in the Fourth Edition.] The Non Approved History of AA 1957-1985 states, page 203: "By 1953, [when the Second Edition replaced the First Edition] it was evident that the personal stories in the first edition of the Big Book were somewhat dated. Of the 28 [New York and Cleveland] veterans whose stories were represented [Akron was opposed to the book project], five had gone back to drinking, eight more had slipped after the book was published but had come back to A.A., and 15 had remained continuously sober."
Almost all of the stories dropped from the 1st & 2nd editions were omitted due to the authors' relapses. Cultural changes were the predominant rationale for deletions from the 3rd edition and for inclusion of new stories in the 4th edition.
Of some significance are the changes to the mantra, "How It Works", which is read aloud at almost all Twelve Step Meetings. {I have encountered AA meetings, which omit reading "How It Works", as well as omitting reading "The Twelve Traditions"!} Further, this mantra was substantially redacted from the version given to Bill Wilson, as set forth in the manuscript version. The manuscript version preaches to its reader using "you" throughout, whereas the sacrosanct version refers to "We." Step Seven originally read: "Humbly, on our knees, asked Him to remove our shortcomings - holding nothing back." The Twelfth Step was also worded that AA would not limit itself to alcoholics: "Having had a spiritual experience as the result of [this course of action], [changed to "these steps"] we tried to carry this message to other[s, especially] [changed to other] alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs."
The manuscript version also ended with a harsh encomium: "If you are not convinced on these vital issues, you ought to re-read the book to this point [e.g. prior to the personal stories] or else throw it away!"
Many of us were saved, not by the first 164 pages [the book to this point] but the stories of experience strength, and hope found thereafter. Therefore, this Fourth Edition is strongly commended to all those affected by any addiction. Moreover, do not let the fuss and feathers of the non-ordained bleeding deacons keep you from trudging the road to happy destiny.
Summary of Alcoholics Anonymous: The Big Book, 4th Edition
It's more than a book. It's a way of life.Alcoholics Anonymous-The Big Book-has served as a lifeline to millions worldwide. 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. With publication of the second edition in 1955, the third edition in 1976, and now the fourth edition in 2001, the essential recovery text has remained unchanged while personal stories have been added to reflect the growing and diverse fellowship. The long-awaited fourth edition features 24 new personal stories of recovery.
Key features and benefits
·the most widely used resource for millions of individuals in recovery
·contains full, original text describing A.A. the program
·updated with 24 new personal stories
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