Customer Reviews

Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

I don't know what to say except that this book saved my life.

Thanks Bill.

Have just ordered another copy of "The Big Book" as mine has about worn out. Alcoholics Anonymous - the book and program together have stood the test of time. Many tens of thousands of people have become sober long term by keeping the "Big Book" handy. Alcoholics Anonymous literally saved my life. It is a blueprint for living that could benefit anyone. The seriousness of Alcoholism can be identified as an insidious killer of person, family, friends, work reltionships and more. Keep the book around - it can work for you!!

To all those would call this book out-dated I would like to say that it is not the language or grammar of a book that is important, it is the message. This book is not read solely for the purpose of entertainment. To those who call AA a cult I would like to apologize for the bad experiences that you seem to have had, AA is not designed to be forced on anyone, only GIVEN to those who want it. To those who have tried AA and not succeeded I know just how you feel, I have not had the best experiences with AA but just take a look around you sometime in a meeting or Birthday Meeting and see the happy faces of those who are recovering and the faces of the children who would not have had a parent were it not for this book and the orgainzation founded by it. AA does work but unfortunately not for everyone, people who would not have previously lived anything close to a normal life are LIVING and enjoying everything the world has to offer. If you are going to read this book for the purposes of review I encourage you to keep an open mind and take all into account, this book provides a style of living that will help an Alocoholic to live as if he were "normal" and LEARN to live period. We alcoholics through some malfunction never learned the secret to living happily. We do not sit and hope our shortcomings will go away, part of the program is being concious of these defects and working them out of your personality. How can something that encourages you to be a good person be so badly accepted? The answer is simply look closely at all good things in this world, you will find that once you begin to force them on others (ahem...Christianity) the message gets lost, perhaps we should go back to allowing people to find AA when THEY want to or when they should. Please people do not allow your bad experiences discourage someone who may really need the help that is provided in this book. Also, a note to add is that the book and the program are only tools, it is the person that makes the program work to its maximum efficiency.

This book worked for me. First, I would like to personally extend my condolences to anyone who has been forced to attend AA meetings by the court system. It is a disgrace to the Traditions of AA and to the Constitution. AA is supposed to be a voluntary program. All I can say is, AA has worked for me, I attended voluntarily. Almost every valid criticism of AA stems from examples of the traditions being broken. Nobody can tell you what to think. The program outlined in the 12 steps has worked for me and others that I know personally.

It would appear that there is no middle ground with this book. It is either a one star or a five star, nothing in-between. As an alcoholic woman who has been sober in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous for more than half my life, it is a five star book. There was a time, when I was new, however, when I thought AA might be a cult. Then I realized there was no one and nothing keeping me here . . . my participation is strictly voluntary, I can leave at any time. They don't want my money, and if I put nothing in the basket, no one tells me I have to leave. They don't want me to leave anything to the program when I die.

I am proof that one doesn't have to have a Christian belief to be a sober member of the program. No one argues with me about my belief, no one tells me how or what I must believe or what I must do or must not do (although it is strongly suggested that I not drink ;-). Today I have choices about all of my life. That was not the case when I was drinking.

AA is not for everyone, it is not the only way to stay sober, nor is it the only way to recover from the disease of alcoholism. There are a myriad of other ways to get and stay sober, and to individuals who find those other ways work for them, I applaud them. What worked for me, was Alcoholics Anonymous.

The new stories in the fourth edition are wonderful, they present a wider variety of backgrounds than the earlier editions of the book, and hopefully will allow more people to identify. If you would like to join us on the path, we welcome you. If you have another path to walk, we encourage you to follow it.

None of us get out of this world alive. Life's too short to waste time arguing about how we stay away from a drink.

I would like to start off this review by saying that I am not an alcoholic and have never been a member of A.A. My background is in other 12-step programs, especially Overeaters Anonymous (which I attend as part of my recovery from bulimia). With that said, I still found this book tremendously helpful. In spite of the title, you do NOT need to be an alcoholic to benefit from reading this book. The model of recovery presented in this book is beneficial for a wide range of addictions and compulsive behaviors; whether you are struggling with cocaine addiction, anorexia, problem gambling, or a host of other problems, this book has something to offer you.

Prior to joining Overeaters Anonymous (O.A.), I was bingeing and purging for up to 10 hours a day - laxative abuse, saunas, compulsive exercise, throwing up, appetite suppressants, and the whole nine yards. I was 70+ pounds overweight and continuing to gain weight due to my constant bingeing. I had tried everything I knew on my own - diets, gimmicks, promises, willpower, you have it. Nothing helped, and I despaired of ever being able to control my eating or my weight. I was ashamed of my body, my bingeing, and myself. I was obsessed with food and dieting, which I thought about almost constantly, and lived in fear of developing a serious disease such as diabetes from my eating problems.

One of the first things I did when I joined O.A. was to read this book cover to cover. While there is, of course, much that is specific to alcohol, I found myself relating to many of the stories in the book and benefitting from the advice. By the grace of God, I am now well on my road to recovery. I feel "in control" of my eating again for the first time in well over a decade, stopped abusing laxatives, quit sugar and caffeine, and am starting to lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way. I no longer have to be ashamed of who I am, what I eat, or how I look. My emotional, physical, and spiritual health has improved noticeably, and I am even noticing positive changes in how I relate to people.

There are a number of people that can, in my opinion, benefit from this book:
* Obviously alcoholics. A.A. remains one of the most successful, widely available ways for people to arrest their alcoholism.
* People who are dependent on other substances. Alcohol is a drug, so the principals that apply to quitting alcohol apply are obviously directly applicable to other types of substance dependence too (e.g. cocaine, heroin, etc.).
* People struggling with "behavioral addictions" and compulsive behaviors, such as bulimia, anorexia, problem gambling, compulsive shopping, etc.
* Family members and friends of people suffering from these illnesses. People are starting to recognize the importance of family members of alcoholics and other addicts going through their own process of healing, and groups like Al-Anon have helped countless people affected by addicts in their lives. If you have a family member or friend who is an addict, this book will help you help them; it will also help you in your own recovery.

If you have a problem with an addiction or compulsion of some type, or even think you might have one, I urge you to read this book. Even if your problem isn't alcohol, you will benefit from this book if you are willing to study it with an open mind and apply its principals.

As an active, voluntary member of AA I must say that the program of recovery outlined in this book works *IF* you choose to work it. AA is not a cult, expects nothing in terms of finances and only SUGGEST'S a few very simple applications to lead a successful, joyous and sober life. AA is group therapy. It is a place for people to share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may stay abstinent from alcohol.
The "Big Book" opened my eyes as to how I was living. Reading the personal stories, being able to identify with the pain, the misery of alcoholism and the newfound hope has completely changed my life. I finally felt as if I were no longer alone. The 12 steps are only suggested and there is no need to believe in God at all. If you are an alcoholic or a family member or friend of an alcoholic I suggest you read this book. It is one of many solutions to tackle alcoholism and statistically AA has very high success rates. It works for some and doesn't for others just like everything else in life.
For those who don't think alcoholism is a disease, I suggest you write the American Medical Association and tell them they are wrong. Or feel free to bare witness to the blameless children, the destroyed marriages, the missed opportunities and the early grave that active alcoholism guarantees.

Simply a way of living comfortably without the use of alcohol

This book has saved many lives. If you think you maybe an alcoholic, even if it is just by the slightest read this book. After you read it you will know. If you still aren't sure then attend an AA meeting. If it wasn't for AA I am not sure if I would be alive. Even though the stories in it are from the 1930's they are still very relevant today.

What do you say about a book that has saved billions? If you think you have a problem...turn it's pages and discovery the miracle inside.