Importance of the Big Book

Published in 1939 The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the best selling books of all time. The story opens by explaining that is was written to describe how thousands of men and women recovered for the disease of alcoholism. Yes, that is right, the book writes the word recovered many times through the text.

The primary author was William G. “Bill W.” Wilson, who was also one of the cofounders of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Book is a step by step guide to the twelve steps of alcoholics anonymous and has been used as the springboard to many other recovery fractions, such as narcotics anonymous and sex addicts anonymous. Cocaine Anonymous Uses the Big book as its basic text.

Although The Book claims to be nonreligious it has a very spiritual basis to its writings. Time Magazine placed the book on its list of the 100 best and most influential books written in English since 1923. In 2012, the Liberty of Congress designated the book as one of 88 “Books that Shaped America”.

Now, this might be some accolade, but for me, this raises doubt on the true validity of the writing, accompanied by the noted influence of the Rockefeller’s when AA was first established back in the 1930s.

I was first introduced to The Big Book in 1993. I was asked to read the book. I took one look at the book and asked myself “Why would I read something this boring?”. However, over the years, my experience of reading the book has changed.

First things first. The Book is a very good read. It is entertaining and very well written. Although the language comes from an era, almost alien to us now, The Book gives hope to millions of people, who have struggled to find hope for many years. Now that in itself is quite something.

To quote Jordon Peterson, Clinical Psychologist and author “12 Rules for Life - an antidote to chaos” - “ Life is hard. It is hard for all of us. Get used to it.”

I read The Book infrequently, and always with another man, someone I can share the experience with. The Book changes lives by changing the perspective of the individual who reads The Book.

As a “person in recovery,” I am defensive about implementing strategies into my life which may benefit me. I do not know why. I have noticed that this is a common trait through “the rooms”. Plus I do not like being told what to do, by anyone, at any time. At first when I entered “the rooms” I was desperate to find someone who would help me and support me. Then with some time I realized that not everyone in “the rooms” had my best interests at heart, this caused me to withdraw emotionally from the fellowship. I ended up using and drinking again and I was blessed not to die, I never really had a working knowledge of the process of recovery as outlined in the Big book. I had to find someone whom was armed with some facts about himself and the Big Book. I found out the Book is always be studied and lived. My Sobriety date this time around is 20th August 1997. I have recovered as a result of of the process as outlined in the Book clear cut direction.

The first 164 pages of the Big Book, have never been changed. Only the personal stories in the back of the book have been changed. The writing never tells me what to do, the words are very carefully constructed to make suggestions as to how to approach a new life based around the guidelines set out in The Book. This is very clever. The book is a work of genius.

The words come to life. It is hard to explain. However, every time I read The Book, I always tend to pick up something new, something different. I read a line and the words jump out at me as if they are alive. This is the only book I have ever read from back to front, over and over, that I relate to 100%.

So in recovery why do, I continue to read and study the pages?

My life improves when I implement the best practices of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous into my life on a 24-hour basis. My life is far from perfect this is true. However I have always struggled with authority and structure, ironically, my life is better when I have clear parameters within which I can move forward.

The Big Book gives me structure. Outlines a way forward. And provides me examples of people who have done what I am doing and their lives have become richer from doing so.

There are many things within The Book I question. As an example, The Book claims to be nonreligious, however, the writings stem from the Oxford Group. The Book speaks of the “moon landing”, written in 1939, the alleged moon landing took place in 1969, this simply does not make any sense. And of course, the influence of the Rockefeller’s to establish Alcoholics Anonymous!

I would prefer not to be controversial. However, there are many question marks for me. A newcomer will not find recovery in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous alone, because human beings are flawed, and the people in the rooms interpret The Big Book to suit their own needs. However, The Book has been written in black and white and the context has not changed since the first publication. For me, this speaks volumes of The Book’s validity.

My experience is simple. When I read the book, and implement the best practices, perfectly outlined in the first 164 pages, my life gets better. And so do the lives of those I love. If you are in doubt why don’t you try and read it, what have you got to lose?