Alcoholics Anonymous First Edition First Printing from 1939

About this Item

Alcoholics Anonymous First Edition First Printing This is the First Printing of the First Edition Big Book from 1939! This book has a reproduction dust jacket that looks great! ? Learn more about the First Printing: Bill Wilson and Hank Parkhurst, the two men that spearheaded the book project, wanted to sell the book for $3.50 per copy. That was a very large sum in those days, the equivalent of around $50 today, and people might not think they were getting their money?s worth. They picked the cheapest, thickest paper the printer had, and requested that each page be printed with large margins surrounding the text. This made for an unusually large book. Thus, the book came to be nicknamed the ?Big Book.? The First Printing is bigger and thicker than the current Fourth Editions. With AA having very little money in 1939 and the early 1940's, they picked the cheapest materials they could use for printing the book which contributed to the various colors of first editions. A New York AA member named Ray Campbell; a recognized artist was asked to design the dust jacket. His story,An Artist?s Concept, appears in the First Edition. He submitted various designs for consideration including one which is blue and in an Art Deco style. The one which was chosen was red, and yellow, with a little black, and a little white. The words Alcoholics Anonymous were printed across the top in large white script. It became known as the circus jacket because of its loud circus colors. There were approximately 4,650 First Printings that were printed in April 1939. For comparison, each of the first 6 printings of the First Edition had approximately 5,000 copies and the Eighth Printing from 1945 had 20,000. With the First Printing being the oldest and most unique of them all, it holds the most value. The first and maybe most obvious to notice is that the cover on all First Printing books was in the red cloth with the red and yellow circus jacket. During these early days of AA much was done by trial and error. Nearly all AA members at the time were living in poverty including Bill Wilson, he and his wife Lois became homeless in May 1939 and remained without a home of their own until April 1941. Because there was so little money AA tried to cut as many corners as possible when it came to publishing the book. The printer Cornwall Press was so concerned about receiving payment they cut the first printing order short and only produced 4,650 copies of the April 1939 release. All of these 1939 printings were bound in Red cloth. Page 1 is the first page of the Doctor?s Opinion. The Doctor?s Opinion is now in the Roman Numeral section at the front of the big book and Page 1 is now the beginning of Bill?s Story. This change happened with the First Printing of the Second Edition. Despite all their efforts at proofreading, there was a typographical error in the First Printing on page 234, the second and third line from the bottom was printed twice. This was corrected in subsequent printings.The Appendix gives information about the structure of The Alcoholic Foundation, Trustees, and how to contact Alcoholics Anonymous. ? Stories in the back of the First Printing: Doctor Bob?s Nightmare ? Page 183 by Dr. Bob SmithThe Unbeliever ? Page 194 by Hank ParkhurstThe European Drinker ? Page 206 by Joe DoepplerA Feminine Victory ? Page 217 by Florence RankinOur Southern Friend ? Page 226 by John Henry Fitzhugh MayoA Business Man?s Recovery ? Page 242 by William RuddellA Different Slant ? Page 252 by Harry BrickTraveler, Editor, Scholar ? Page 254 by Jim ScottThe Back-Sider ? Page 265 by Walter BrayHome Brewmeister ? Page 274 by Clarence SnyderThe Seventh Month Slip ? Page 282 by Ernie GalbraithMy Wife And I ? Page 287 by Tom LucasA Ward Of The Probate Court ? Page 296 by William Van HornRiding The Rods ? Page 303 by Charlie SimonsonThe Salesman ? Page 317 by Bob OvattFired Again ? Page 325 by Wallace GillamThe Fearful One ? Page 332 by Archie TrowbridgeTruth Freed Me! ? Page 336.

Seller Inventory # 10110

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Alcoholics Anonymous First Edition First Printing from 1939
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included
• Weight: 907.185 grams