Reference
First Edition Big Book Chapters and Page Numbers
A chapter-by-chapter guide to the public-domain first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous (1939, with the 1941 printing's revisions): where each chapter starts, what it covers, and which personal stories the first edition contained.
Independent project. Public domain in the United States only; copyright status in other countries may differ. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Two sets of page numbers
The pages of the 1939 book were numbered differently from the copies most people bring to meetings today. In the original April 1939 printing, The Doctor's Opinion began on page 1, Bill's Story on page 10 and How It Works on page 70.
The page numbers read in meetings today start Bill's Story on page 1 and How It Works on page 58, and the basic text ends on page 164. The Principles Before Personalities app lays out the first edition text (1939, with the 1941 printing's revisions) with these meeting page numbers, so a page someone mentions at a meeting is the page you jump to in the app. Both numbers are listed below.
Front matter
| Section | In the app | April 1939 printing |
|---|---|---|
| Foreword | Front matter, before page 1 | p. vii |
| The Doctor's Opinion | Front matter, before page 1 | p. 1 |
Foreword
The 1939 book has a single foreword; later editions keep it as the "Foreword to First Edition." It explains the purpose of the book and why members remain anonymous: To show other alcoholics PRECISELY HOW WE HAVE RECOVERED is the main purpose of this book.
The Doctor's Opinion
A physician who specialized in treating alcoholism gives his view of the illness and of the recovery described in the book, introduced as the medical estimate of the plan of recovery described in this book.
In 1939 it opened the numbered pages on page 1; later editions moved it into the Roman-numeral pages.
The first edition has no Preface. The Preface and the forewords to later editions are not part of this text.
The 11 chapters of the basic text
| Chapter | Meeting page (in the app) | April 1939 printing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bill's Story | 1 | 10 |
| 2. There Is a Solution | 17 | 27 |
| 3. More About Alcoholism | 30 | 41 |
| 4. We Agnostics | 44 | 56 |
| 5. How It Works | 58 | 70 |
| 6. Into Action | 72 | 84 |
| 7. Working With Others | 89 | 101 |
| 8. To Wives | 104 | 117 |
| 9. The Family Afterward | 122 | 135 |
| 10. To Employers | 136 | 150 |
| 11. A Vision for You | 151 | 165 |
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Chapter 1: Bill's Story page 1
Bill's first-person account of his drinking, his decline, and the visit from an old friend that led to his recovery.
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Chapter 2: There Is a Solution page 17
Introduces the fellowship and the idea that people who share this problem can also share a way out of it.
We are average Americans.
-
Chapter 3: More About Alcoholism page 30
Describes the loss of control over drinking and the hope of one day drinking normally, with examples.
The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker.
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Chapter 4: We Agnostics page 44
Addressed to readers who are agnostic or atheist, and how members with those views came to a spiritual approach of their own. It opens by saying the reader
may be suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer.
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Chapter 5: How It Works page 58
Sets out the twelve steps and begins the practical work, including the personal inventory.
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.
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Chapter 6: Into Action page 72
The steps that follow the inventory: sharing it with another person, making amends, and a daily practice of self-examination and prayer.
Having made our personal inventory, what shall we do about it?
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Chapter 7: Working With Others page 89
Practical guidance on approaching and helping another alcoholic.
Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics.
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Chapter 8: To Wives page 104
Written as the wives of members speaking to the wives of men who drink too much, about their experience and what helped. It notes that
what we have said applies quite as much to women.
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Chapter 9: The Family Afterward page 122
Family life after the drinking stops, and the adjustments everyone in the household faces.
All members of the family should meet upon the common ground of tolerance, understanding and love.
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Chapter 10: To Employers page 136
An employer who has hired and fired many men writes about understanding and helping an employee who drinks.
He knows the alcoholic as the employer sees him.
-
Chapter 11: A Vision for You page 151
Closes the basic text with how the fellowship began and spread from its first members, ending on page 164 with
May God bless you and keep you — until then.
Page numbers in this list are the meeting page numbers used in the app. Quotations are from the app's first edition text (1939, with the 1941 printing's revisions).
Personal stories in the first edition
After the basic text, the 1939 book printed members' own stories, beginning with Dr. Bob's story, The Doctor's Nightmare. Later editions replaced most of them, so many do not appear in the copies read today. In the app they are a separate book, and each story's pages are numbered from 1.
| Story | April 1939 printing |
|---|---|
| The Doctor's Nightmare | 183 |
| The Unbeliever | 194 |
| The European Drinker | 206 |
| A Feminine Victory | 217 |
| Our Southern Friend | 226 |
| A Business Man's Recovery | 242 |
| A Different Slant | 252 |
| Traveler, Editor, Scholar | 254 |
| The Back-Slider | 265 |
| Home Brewmeister | 274 |
| The Seventh Month Slip | 282 |
| My Wife and I | 287 |
| A Ward of the Probate Court | 296 |
| Riding the Rods | 303 |
| The Salesman | 317 |
| Fired Again | 325 |
| The Fearful One | 332 |
| Truth Freed Me! | 336 |
| Smile with Me, at Me | 340 |
| A Close Shave | 348 |
| Educated Agnostic | 351 |
| Another Prodigal Story | 357 |
| The Car Smasher | 364 |
| Hindsight | 370 |
| On His Way | 375 |
| An Alcoholic's Wife | 378 |
| An Artist's Concept | 380 |
| The Rolling Stone | 386 |
| Lone Endeavor | 391 |
The app's Personal Stories book also includes Ace Full–Seven–Eleven, which is not listed in the contents of the April 1939 printing. The app's basic text is the first edition as revised in the 1941 printing: Step 12 reads spiritual awakening
, and the appendix Spiritual Experience is included. That appendix was added in the 1941 printing; its own opening lines refer back to the first printing.
Read the first edition text with these page numbers
Principles Before Personalities is a free, offline reader for the public-domain first edition text (1939, with the 1941 printing's revisions). Type a page number to jump straight to it, then highlight, mark pages and add sticky notes. Everything stays on your own device, with no account.