by Dan M.
In coming months, we’ll explore the history of the creation of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous. One thing that always surprises people new to this story is that Bill W. was only 3 ½ years sober when he wrote the first 164 pages, which became the primary text for the AA program. He worked on it from May 1938 to April 1939, dictating most of it to Ruth Hock, AA’s first National Secretary and non-alcoholic. He gave each section to his New York group, who would make suggestions and sometimes start hot debates.
As important as the main text was, the early AA members knew that personal stories were the way to reach alcoholics. A member of the Akron group and a former newspaperman, Jim, interviewed Akronite members and wrote their stories for them. In New York, members wrote their own stories, which Bill and a fellow member edited, creating some resentment on the part of the authors. Eventually, there were a total 29 testimonials of people who got sober using the principles of the program.
It is startling to realize that the program still did not have a name. Both the New York and Akron groups made many suggestions for the book title. Eventually, two contenders emerged: Alcoholics Anonymous and The Way Out. Although Alcoholics Anonymous won the most votes in New York, The Way Out was more popular overall. Bill decided to have his friend, Fitz M., who lived on a farm in Maryland, go to The Library of Congress and see how many books were registered with the title, The Way Out. It turned out that there were twelve such books, and nothing named Alcoholics Anonymous.
Thus the book found its title and the program of Alcoholics Anonymous found its name.
Versions of this story appear in both Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age and Pass It On, Bill Wilson and the A.A. Message, both published by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services.
Dan M.’s home group is Fremont Men’s Stag, which meets on Monday nights at 7 at Irvington Presbyterian Church and online: 187 927 449 pc: 774746
