This captivating book provides a wide view of the world of agnostic / atheist AA. The first section is a set of “experience, strength and hope” stories similar to the second section of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous. I found I could really relate to these stories!
There is a huge scope to the book: different interpretations of the 12 steps, book reviews, early and current history, and a dynamite section on the Lord’s Prayer. Did you know that the courts have repeatedly classed AA as a religious organization? Other paths to recovery are explored. There are several articles on the current practice of some Intergroups refusing to list agnostic meetings. Throughout the book, the theme is inclusiveness, not confrontation – that is very important. And the final section, Moving Forward: agnostic AA is alive and well and coming to a meeting near you, one meeting at a time. I really like the optimistic ending.
All the stories are well-written and readable. I found the book very useful in my own recovery thinking, and as a great reference for those inevitable discussions with my religious friends. I would highly recommend Don’t Tell to anyone at all interested in AA and the religious debate, whether a member of AA or a professional addiction worker. As Ernie Kurtz and Bill White put it in their Foreword: “Don’t Tell is an important book for anyone interested in the future of Alcoholics Anonymous and the future of alcoholism recovery.”
(A more complete review of the book by Chris was originally published here at AA Agnostica. Here is a link to the book’s complete Table of Contents.)
Don’t Tell: Stories and Essays by Agnostics and Atheists in AA, edited by Roger C., AA Agnostica, 2014, 290 pages.
The paperback version is available at Amazon.
And it is available via Amazon in Canada and in the United Kingdom and Europe. If you live in the UK or Europe, please purchase the book via Amazon. The result is much better shipping rates and quicker delivery.
It is available as an eBook – Kindle or any ePub version – at the BookBaby BookShop. After you log in or sign up and pay via credit card or PayPal you can download the eBook as an ePub or Mobi immediately.
Also available at traditional online retail locations as an iBook (for a Mac or iPad) and as a Kindle or Kobo, etcetera, ebook.
