Category: 2nd Edition – Personal Stories- PART 1
THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
Most readers of the Big Book will recognize “The Keys of the Kingdom”, as it was published in the Second, Third, and Fourth Editions. Its author, Sylvia K, traveled from Chicago to Akron and Cleveland,…
HOME BREWMEISTER – 2nd Edition
This was one of only five of the original 29 stories in the First Edition to make it into the Second Edition. Its author, Clarence S., got sober in early 1938. Along with a dozen…
HE SOLD HIMSELF SHORT – 2nd Edition
Earl T., got sober in 1938 with the help of Dr. Bob and a number of original members of the fledgling Akron group. He then took his newfound sobriety and program knowledge back to his…
THE MAN WHO MASTERED FEAR – 2nd Edition
“The Man Who Mastered Fear” was printed in the Second, Third, and Fourth Editions. It’s actually is an expanded version of a story printed in the First Edition of the Big Book titled “The Fearful…
FROM FARM TO CITY – 2nd Edition
This story was written by Ethel M., one of the first female members of Akron Group 1 that met on Wednesday evenings at King’s School in Akron, Ohio. Though she didn’t get sober until May…
THE NEWS HAWK – 2nd Edition
This story is actually the edited and re-titled version of the story “Traveler, Editor, Scholar” which was originally published in the First Edition. A sizable portion of the beginning of that story was omitted from…
THE VICIOUS CYCLE – Second Edition
This story was penned by Jim B. who got sober in 1938, and was an member of Bill W’s original New York Group that met on Tuesday nights in Brooklyn. It was published in the…
THE EUROPEAN DRINKER – 2nd Edition
This story is one of only a handful of stories from the First Edition of the Big Book that was retained for the Second Edition. It’s about Joe D., an original member of the Akron…
WOMEN SUFFER TOO – 2nd Edition
Women Suffer Too was written by Marty M., a founding female member of Alcoholics Anonymous and close friend of Bill W. Marty’s involvement in AA influenced her life of service in which she traveled around…
HE THOUGHT HE COULD DRINK LIKE A GENTLEMAN – 2nd Edition
One of the more colorful stories from the very earliest days of AA, this story was published in the 2nd and 3rd Editions but omitted from the 4th edition for reasons unknown. If you’ve only…
HE HAD TO BE SHOWN – 2nd Edition
This is the 50th episode of the Big Book Podcast, and I’d like to thank the thousands of people around the world who have listened to this audio version of the 1st and 2nd editions…
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS NUMBER THREE – 2nd Edition
“Alcoholics Anonymous Number 3” describes the meeting of Dr. Bob and Bill W. with Bill D., an alcoholic patient Akron City Hospital in late June 1935. With their help, Bill D. got sober and was…