Conference-approved A.A. book · first published 1939
A.A.’s basic text on recovery from alcoholism
The Big Book explains A.A.’s program of recovery and includes personal accounts from members who describe their alcoholism and recovery.
- First published in 1939
- A.A.’s basic text
- Translated into more than 70 languages
- Official text, audio, and ASL online
About the Big Book
Alcoholics Anonymous, widely known as the Big Book, presents the A.A. program of recovery from alcoholism. First published in 1939, it was written to show other alcoholics how the first one hundred members of A.A. had recovered. AA.org identifies it as A.A.’s basic text and reports that it has been translated into more than seventy languages.
The opening material establishes the edition and the history through which the book reached its present form. The title and copyright pages, contents, Preface, four edition forewords, and The Doctor’s Opinion precede the main chapters. The forewords record the fellowship’s growth across successive editions, while the medical introduction belongs to the historical foundation of the book.
The main text consists of eleven chapters running from page 1 through page 164: Bill’s Story, There Is a Solution, More About Alcoholism, We Agnostics, How It Works, Into Action, Working With Others, To Wives, The Family Afterward, To Employers, and A Vision for You. Together they move from the problem of alcoholism through the spiritual program, the Twelve Steps, action, work with other alcoholics, and life in family and community.
The personal-story section follows the first 164 pages. In the Fourth Edition it is organized as “Pioneers of A.A.,” “They Stopped in Time,” and “They Lost Nearly All.” The official Fourth Edition description explains that the chapters describing the recovery program and the histories of the co-founders have remained unchanged since the original, while new personal stories have been added with successive editions to reflect the membership.
Seven appendices conclude the current official contents: the A.A. Tradition, Spiritual Experience, the medical view, the Lasker Award, the religious view, how to contact A.A., and the short form of the Twelve Concepts. AA.org provides direct chapter reading, audio, and ASL, while the official literature catalog identifies hardcover, softcover, portable, pocket, large-print, Braille, audio, ASL, electronic, and translated editions.
Inside the Fourth Edition
Front matter and The Doctor’s Opinion
Edition information, contents, the Preface, four forewords, and the medical introduction lead into the main text.
Eleven chapters · pages 1–164
The continuous main text presents the problem, the spiritual program, the Twelve Steps, action, work with others, and life beyond the first drink.
Personal stories · pages 165–559
The Fourth Edition groups member experience into pioneers, people who stopped in time, and people who had lost nearly all.
Seven appendices · pages 561–575
Reference material addresses Tradition, spiritual experience, medical and religious perspectives, recognition, contact, and the Twelve Concepts.