Getting Better: Inside Alcoholics Anonymous - Hardcover

Robertson, Nan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0688068693 ISBN 13: 9780688068691

Publisher: William Morrow & Co, 1988

Synopsis

Offers an inside look at one of the most admired yet misunderstood self-help movements, revealing the story of its founding, its inside operations, and its success

About this title

About the Author:

Nan Roberston was a long-time reporter and correspondent for the New York Times. Her Times article on her own near-fatal attack of toxic shock syndrome won her the Pulitzer Prize and reached 2 million people. Her research for this book included hundreds of interviews with A.A.s historic figures and rank-and-file members across the nation

From Library Journal:

Founded in the 1930s by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, who sought to help each other stay sober one day at a time, Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) has grown from that shaky fellowship to a world-wide organization of some two million men and women. These two books approach the self-help organization from very different viewpoints. Anyone whose life has been touched in any way by alcoholism will find much of interest in Robertson's book, not least in the story of her own triumphant battle with alcoholism. Robertson, a reporter for the New York Times , provides a highly readable account of the history A.A., not only telling us how it works but giving insight on why. She successfully demystifies the role of religion in A.A. and provides compelling portraits of the co-founders and of various members around the world. Unfortunately, Pittman's book does not engage the reader's attention so forcefully, too often reading like a dissertation. It does provide an interesting historical perspective on the concept of alcoholism as disease, focusing on theories of causation, classification, and treatment from the 1890s to the 1930s. Lengthy but uninspired attention is given to Wilson, but co-founder Smith is hardly mentioned. And although Robertson states that the text of her book was read, edited, and approved by A.A. members in New York and Akron, as required by A.A., Pittman makes no such assertion. Robertson's book is highly recommended. Buy Pittman if demand warrants. Jodith Janes, Univ. Hospitals of Cleveland
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: William Morrow & Co
• Publication date: 1988
• ISBN 10: 0688068693
• ISBN 13: 9780688068691
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 298