The 12 steps are awesome and life-changing ideas that could really apply to everyone. The chapters on "to the wife" are really bad advice. What about BOUNDARIES and self care of the family members? It is not good advice for wives to not have boundaries at the expense of the alcoholic's bad behavior. The most important this a spouse of an alocoholic should do is keep themselves safe.

Nothing is more wise than an illustration of recovery from someone who has done it themselves. People listen in a different way when someone has walked the same path they are now facing. The Big Book of AA does that, it illustrates in the first 164 pages how the first 100 men and women of AA recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind, body and spirit.

Most of the remaining pages are personal stories for readers to relate to - from varying genders, races, religions, drug habits, sexual orientations, etc.

With the 4th addition, the 12 Concepts of World Service were added. There were already the 12 Steps (How it Works) and the 12 Traditions (Why it Works), and with the 12 Concepts, there is a fulfillment to the evolution of the work started by the original members 75+ years ago. It adds a "when" to the equation of the body of work...guiding members, service boards, and the international conference to be conscience of their governorship of service boards commitments and when to enact oversight.

no bc i need to meet my reading goal…

I parted ways with AA as I gradually became an atheist, and there are aspects of the program that trouble me (e.g. the insistence that humans are not strong enough to quit drinking without supernatural help). However unlike AA I do not claim that there is only one way to deal with alcohol abuse, and many, many people have found that Bill's 12 step program has helped them. If AA is the right route for you then owning this book will save your life.

It was okay. It was very slow. I am DNFing this book because I feel like it is wasting my time. Yes It is good knowledge but, to be honest, it has put me in a reading slump. I hate books that do that to me. I would rather spend my time reading other books I actually know I will like and enjoy.

DNF at chapter 8

I didn't realize this was so focused on the religious aspect, the need for a spiritual revolution. Reading the book itself it seems clear that the game changer is embracing religion and surrendering your life to God.

This book has had a positive impact on my life. Originally published in 1939, the "essential recovery text" has an outdated tonal feel. This is especially apparent in the chapter "To Wives". The chapter is written from a very sexist perspective and doesn't translate well to today. Despite its untimely feel, the original text in the "Big Book" still succeeds in paving a path of recovery from the disease of alcoholism.

This book was a huge part in saving my life!

I hit my first meeting over elevyn years ago. I owe my new life to this book and it's companion book "The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. It took ten and a half years for me to truly appreciate the spiritually inspired life lessons contained in the first 164 pages. This book is far less about "How to stop drinking or doing drugs" than it is about how to live a life that is full, satisfying, and full of hope. There is historical data and research that proves that the only way to rid oneself of his alcoholism is to adopt spiritual inspiration and run with it. Once the practice of "Spiritual Principles" became my natural, frequent, and most common reaction to what life throughs at me, I realizedd that serenity, hope, love and kindness make for the ultimate high in life. I owe my life to all those involved in keeping this book around and living. It is the owners manual for drunks and drug addicts. It may take a lot of relapses, or it may work for you on first read, but either it is worth owning, reading, and sharing.

some good ideas, just extremely boring. the whole higher power crap really annoyed me too. find power in yourself, not your imaginary friend.

This book explained a lot that I went through earlier in recovery and continue to through to this day. Eventhough I don't totally agree with everything it says I'm sure I'll turn to parts of this book more often.

Don’t leave home without it!