The Good Book and the Big Book

An astounding seventy-five to ninety-three percent of the early members of Alcoholics Anonymous recovered from their seemingly hopeless diseases of alcoholism. They did it by relying on God and by basing their relationship with Him on the principles of the Bible. This comprehensive history discusses the biblical sources from which A.A.'s founders said they obtained their recovery ideas—focusing particularly on the Sermon on the Mount, 1 Corinthians 13, and the Book of James. For many A.A.s, the Bible was a standard of truth upon which they could depend for the power and guidance that they needed in their lives. Author Dick B.—an active, recovered member of A.A., a bible student, and a sponsor of over seventy men in their recovery—here shows how a knowledge of A.A.'s Good Book roots can be used effectively to produce a high recovery rate in today's Twelve Step programs.