The Origins of the 12 Steps
By Roger C. One alcoholic talking to another (Step 12) It all began in the waning months of 1934. Bill W, an incorrigible inebriate nearing the end of his rope, was visited at his...
Author: Roger
Atheist
The AA Grapevine published this article by J. L. of Oakland, California, which it called Atheist, in its January 1980 issue. At the time J. L. was eight years sober. When J. L. reached 16 years of...
Mindfulness and the 12 Steps
Review by Roger C. There would appear to be much in common between Buddhist thought and the 12 Step recovery program practiced by some in AA. A number of books have made the connection...
Pharisees and Recalcitrants
By Joe C. When asked about AA’s lack of rules and why we didn’t need them, Bill Wilson said, “AA is self-correcting.” It may be that Toronto Intergroup’s first controversial action of banning AA...
Is There Room Enough in AA?
By J. L. from Oakland, California. Published in the AA Grapevine in October 1987. Copyright © AA Grapevine; reprinted with permission. Recently my twenty-eight-year-old son began to recognize his growing problem with alcohol (an episode with...
An Atheist’s Guide to 12-Step Recovery
by Frank M. You’re a thoughtful and well considered atheist. And you’ve noticed recently that you might be dying from the crap you put in your body. A little. Maybe that’s just the hangover...
Slaying The Dragon
Review by Marty N. William White’s book is a history of the alcoholism treatment and recovery effort in the U.S., written for treatment professionals and laypersons. It is one of those delightful history books...
We Tread Innumerable Paths
By June L. El Granada, California. Copyright © The AA Grapevine, Inc. Published in November 1996. Desperation, and insistence by my estranged husband forced me to call AA nearly twenty-six years ago. I had misgivings...
Do You Think You’re Different? – Jan’s Story
In 1976 Alcoholics Anonymous World Services (AAWS) began publishing a 37 page pamphlet entitled “Do You Think You’re Different?” AAWS has printed and distributed this pamphlet year after year and it is now available online...
A Woman’s Way Through The Twelve Steps
Reviewed by Linda R. A Woman’s Way Through The Twelve Steps was published in 1994 and has become a favorite book for many women in AA. Why do women have their own book? One...
A Higher Power of My Understanding
By Gabe S. I first encountered Alcoholics Anonymous when I found myself in rehab in December 2010. I had, after many months of resistance, followed the advice of my psychiatrist and my good friends...
Quadrants of Knowledge
By Joe C. The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no...
God As We Understood Him
WARNING: The following essay, although sincerely and thoughtfully written, is very offensive to Scientologists, smokers, Christians, spirituality, and especially to Zeus. To history’s other 2,000 + Gods, past and present – I have offended...
One Year Old!
By Roger C. It all began with an uncivil act. It was a thoughtless act without compassion or concern for the wellbeing of other women and men in the fellowship suffering from the same...
