Alcoholics Anonymous AKA “The Big Book”
The Big Book is AA’s official literature. It was written by the founders of AA in the 1930’s and the first 164 pages of The Big Book are considered a must-read for newcomers, particularly with the help of a sponsor. The above link has free PDF and audio versions of the The Big Book.
What is a “sponsor” and “sponsorship”?
A sponsor – as described in the PDF pamphlet found in the linked page above – is someone who walks you through the 12 steps of the AA program. They also act as a confidante and advisor in life matters in involving alcohol and the events, actions and habits that can lead an alcoholic in recovery to drink.
What are the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous?
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of god as we understood him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to god, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have god remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with god as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
The Big Book and 12×12 walk you through the steps of the program of AA, but Living Sober offers practical, modern advice for living a sober life and navigating common situations for newcomers.
“Two titles in a single booklet. The A.A. Service Manual opens with history of A.A. services, then explains the General Service Conference structure and its year-round importance. Chapters cover the roles of GSRs, DCMs, delegates, directors and trustees, as well as what happens at GSO and Grapevine. The Twelve Concepts for World Service, written by A.A. co-founder Bill W., are an interpretation of A.A.’s world service structure as it emerged through A.A.’s early history and experience.”