Experience, Strength and Hope: Stories from the First Three Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous

This book is a collection of 56 stories which were found in either the multilith [1938], 1st [1939], 2nd[1955], or 3rd [1976] editions of Alcoholics Anonymous, aka "The Big Book," but are not contained in the 4th [2001] edition. 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, 1st printing, 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, to cover a printing cost of 35 cents. [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!] Forty-six [Bill Wilson's story is not included in this count of personal stories; Bob Smith's story is counted, under two titles] of these stories were published in either the 1st or 2nd editions. 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, since neither the 1st or 2nd edition Copyrights were renewed at the end of their original term. 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. Almost all of the stories which were dropped from the 1st & 2nd editions were omitted due to the authors' relapses. Cultural changes is given as the predominant rationale for deletions from the 3rd edition and for inclusion of new stories in the 4th edition. A relapse did not cause a story to be dropped from the 4th Edition, "Women Suffer Too." [A listing of all of the stories contained in all four editions and the multilith manuscript is available by email from the reviewer.]