The Glumlot Letters [Paperback]

M. Stanley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 11, 2003

With delightful humor, this work covers the serious matter of recovery from alcoholism. In letters to a fellow devil, Glumlot writes about his attempts in tempting a human away from A.A., sobriety, and recovery. By describing what the other side is planning, this book offers a practical application of AA's Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, and a revitalizing approach to universal spiritual principles that are the basis for a relationship with a Higher Power.

Editorial Reviews

Review

In a wickedly delicious parody of C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, Stanley M. turns his sights on the Twelve Steps and the recovery process. The Glumlot Letters are correspondence between two devils, Twigmold and Glumlot, and the subject is tempting a human away from AA, sobriety and recovery. Twigmold's "patient" has begun drinking to excess and he's delighted. Glumlot warns him, however, not to take heart too soon, to examine the quality of the blackouts. If the blackout "blocks the light of the Enemy," and suspends rational judgment, it is a triumph for the Lowerarchy and an excellent opportunity for Twigmold to make his appearance and make his patient feel "abandoned and utterly hopeless." The patient, however, turns to AA and is poised on the threshold of Step Four, to Twigmold's dismay. Don't worry, says Glumlot. Convince him that he can do it by himself and that it has to be an exactly perfect "scorching and clueless" inventory. Whatever the author aims at, he hits a bullseye, and he doesn't miss a misunderstanding about the Steps or a place where we can trip over human egoisms and fall on our recovering faces. If we've had a stumbling recovery, probably this book will show us where our problems lie. (Audrey DeLaMarte )

From the Publisher

A common topic of conversation in Alcoholics Anonymous and other Twelve-Step meetings is "the committee inside your head." The book, The Glumlot Letters, written by a long-time A.A. member, uses a delightful, satirical sense of humor to personify that incessant internal mental dialogue familiar to all of us - not just those in recovery. The main character, a devil named Glumlot, writes to one of his peers, suggesting different ways of tempting a human away from sobriety, recovery and spiritual values. This book, inspired by C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, functions on three simultaneous levels: a) While many books about recovery tend to be academic in style, this is an entertaining and well-written story with character development and plot twists. b) In its roundabout way, it is also an instruction manual about meetings, sponsorship and the Twelve Step program outlined in A.A.'s basic text book. c) At its core, it a book for anyone who has struggled with the "Who is God?" question. By describing what the "other side" is planning for us, it offers a reasonable approach to the universal spiritual principles that can be the basis for forming a relationship with a Higher Power.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Capizon Publishing (March 11, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965967239
• ISBN-13: 978-0965967235
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,372,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Glumlot Letters, November 18, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Glumlot Letters (Paperback)

An excellent book that is very cleverly written.If you are like me and you came to the fellowship with no idea of;
(a)the cunning, baffling, nature of alcoholism.
(b)of how to name different types of emotions and feelings
then this book is of enormous help.(or it was to me anyway!)
It also hit home in a number of ways especially with its side comments on the behaviour of some members of the fellowship.It gave me a bit of a kick up the backside as to how I contribute to meetings and how I treat people who are new to the fellowship. Definitely a good read!

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glumlot Letters, August 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Glumlot Letters (Paperback)

If you love to laugh you must have this book. Great reading for those with a few 24 hours. I have shared a few parts of this book with some people I sponsor, they could not stop laughing. Wonderful way to get people to open up. Superway to get a meeting going.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great reading for the AA Step minded person, May 11, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (North Carolina East Coast) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Glumlot Letters (Paperback)

Excellent reading for those that have an already grasp of the Steps. Light hearted easy reading with many good things to revisit with a 180 degree twist.