THE BIG BOOK GOES TO PRESS
After long and heated "discussions" the
Alcoholics Anonymous book was finally
ready to be published in 1939
To most of the New York members, the book was looking too religious. Both Jim B. and Hank P. wanted all references to God removed. Fitz M. wanted more mention of God.
The members in Akron, Ohio met around Dr. Bob's kitchen table reviewing the pages submitted to them and made their suggestions as well. Bill knew he could not please everyone no matter how hard he would try. There had to be some sort of a compromise.
There are several stories, none confirmed, of how this compromise took place. One story is that Ruth Hock, Bill and Hank's secretary, who was attending some of these heated "discussions," asked about the Oxford Group idea of a nonGod. That is, a God, not of the Roman Catholics or Protestants, or Methodists or any other religious denomination, but God of each individual's understanding. It is reported that at that point, Jim B. shouted out; "That's it! God as we understand Him!"
The Oxford Group literature, though Christian in content often discussed a Power greater than oneself. Why not have a universal God? One who can be embraced by all, religious and nonalike. Though not too happy about any mention of God, several of the New York members reluctantly agreed to this offer of compromise. The Akron members who __were reluctant to relinquish the spiritual __accepted this compromise as well. The book continued to be written.
Chapter after chapter were submitted to the New York and Akron members for their review. Many changes were made and many heated discussions took place. One longmember from Ohio who was there, told this writer that "we red penciled, blue penciled, crossed out and attempted to keep the book as true to our beliefs as possible." The New York contingent did the same attempting to tone down the spiritual aspects.
Who Wrote "To Wives?"
Bill asked Hank P. to write what was to become Chapter 10, To Employers. Hank wrote that chapter and eventually had another falling out with Bill for receiving no credit. Bill also asked Anne Smith, Dr. Bob's wife to write the chapter To Wives, but she gently declined. She reportedly told Bill that he should have asked his wife Lois instead. Lois was not asked and Bill wrote it. To say the least, Lois held a resentment about that for many years.
Bill and Hank took the book to several sources for review and possible publication. Eventually, after several reand corrections, the book was ready to go to press. In order to raise further funding, a premanuscript copy was printed. These went out to friends of the fledgling movement as well as to members for further review. Offers were made to send the printed book as soon as it was ready to those who purchased this
"multilith" copy. A multilith was a sort of mimeograph process and 400 copies of the manuscript were published and sent out.
It was decided that some of the language should be toned down and upon further review and editing, the book was ready to go to press. A printing company was recommended to Bill and Hank. The Cornwall Press, located in Cornwall, New York (Orange County) was contacted and the process began.
"Circus" Dust Jacket
Bill and Hank wanted to make the book look like it was worth the $3.50 they were going to ask for it. The asked that the thickest paper be used as well as the widest possible margins. The owners of the Cornwall Press had some left over red binding cloth from another print job and offered this to Bill and Hank at a discount.
Ray C., a New York artist was "commissioned" to design the Dust Jacket for the book. One of the first design submissions showed a man marching forward with fists clenched and a determined look on his face. In the background was a bottle with another man trapped inside. The name, Alcoholics Anonymous was in red across most of the cover and "Their Pathway to a Cure" was on the lower rightcorner. Ray also designed what became known as the "Circus" Dust jacket, the one that was eventually used. This cover was red, yellow, black and white with just the name, Alcoholics Anonymous on top.
Sometime during the Winter of 1939, Bill, Hank, Ruth Hock and Dorothy S. (the then wife of Clarence S. of Cleveland) went to Cornwall, NY to review the galleys. It is not known where, or for how long they stayed in this Orange County, NY hamlet, but it is known that they approved the galleys and the book went to print. Almost 4,800 copies were ordered with a promise from the Cornwall Press that just as soon as these were sold, they were prepared to print several thousand more.
When the books were ready, the Cornwall Press refused to release any of them until they were paid. Despite Bill's pleading and promises of a quick turnonly those books paid for were let out of the warehouse. Very few were paid for and most stayed in storage for many months. It wasn't until February 1940 that there was any real movement of these books.
This article is written by nationally recognized historian
and oftAlcoholics Anonymous archivist Mitchell K.
THE BIG BOOK IS PUBLISHED
The publication of the Big Book did not bring
the initial response that was expected by its authors
The official publication date of the Big Book according to the United States Copyright Office was April 10, 1939. There were 4,730 books printed with red cloth binding, wide columns, thick paper, a red, yellow, black and white dust jacket. There was the program of recovery outlined and the personal testimonies of those who had recovered.
Several dozen books which had been prewere shipped out. AA members got their copies and some were given away. The boxes of books still being held at the Cornwall Press probably were piled high to the ceiling. Letters were sent out, a small ad was placed and Bill, Ruth and Hank waited for the orders to pile in.
Every day the went to the Post Office box expecting to be flooded with requests for the book. Other than a slight trickle, the expected orders didn't materialize. Once again, they were dejected. They needed a boost.
In September 1939, Liberty Magazine ran an article entitled "Alcoholics and God" by Morris Markey. It briefly told about Alcoholics Anonymous. This was the first national publicity AA received.
Missing Pieces of History
There was another article reportedly printed in a religious magazine called FAITH. The article was written by Dr. Bob who had supposedly used his full name as the author of that article.
This writer has attempted to track down a copy of the article for several years. The AA Archives in New York City claims they do not have a copy and even the Library of Congress no longer have copies of that magazine. It appears that the Library of Congress "dumped" their microfiche files for the only two magazines called FAITH from that era in the 1970's.
Another heartbreaking "dumping" occurred several years ago. A longAA member living locally in this writer's vicinity stated that he once had the original printing plates for the Big Book from the Cornwall Press. The Cornwall Press once was located near this writer's home. This longmember stated that during a relapse, out of anger, he threw out the plates and they were lost forever.
The Rockefeller Dinner
Bill W. once again went to Willard Richardson for financial help. Willard helped put together the original Rockefeller meeting. Bill explained that the meetings were growing but there was no income coming in from book sales. He had over 4,000 copies in storage which wouldn't be released until paid for.
Willard convinced John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to help out. Rockefeller arranged for a dinner for all his friends to hear about this wonderful new movement. One Hundred and Eighty Seven engraved invitations were sent out to some of the richest and most powerful men in the United States.
Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
requests the pleasure of your company
at dinner
on Thursday, the eighth of February
at seven o'clock
THE UNION CLUB
Park Avenue and 69th Street
Mr. William G. Wilson, author of "Alcoholics
Anonymous"
and Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick
will speak on an effective control of alcoholism
Of the 187 Invitations that were sent, 127 were sent back with regrets. Among those who responded in the affirmative were included several of the invited AA members. Among the 60 people who actually attended this dinner there was Bill, Dr. Bob, Clarence S., Fitz M., Bert T., and Bill R. on the AA side. Others included members of Rockefeller's staff, Frank Amos, Gordon Auchincloss, Dr. Russell E. Blaisdell, Horace Crystal, A. Leroy Chipman, Leonard V. Harrison, Dr. Foster Kennedy, Dr. William Duncan Silkworth, Dr. Leonard V. Strong, Jr. and Wendell L. Wilkie. Many of these men went on to be great friends of AA.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. could not attend the dinner due to illness so his son, Nelson Rockefeller took over. There were several speakers including Bill W. who spoke about the movement. The final speaker was the Reverend Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick who ended his talk with the following remarks:
"Last of all, I admire the quietness, the anonymity which this movement is carried on. Very small overhead financially, no big organization, nobody making anything out of it, no high salaried staff, people for the love of it sharing with others the experience that has meant life to them _that is good work. No one is a prophet, but I suspect that there is a long road ahead of this movement."
One longmember who was at this dinner once remarked to this writer that looking back on those remarks AA is now a far cry from back then. He stated that there now was a very large overhead with high rentals and expensive, well appointed offices, a large multidollar organization, millions in royalty payments and a high salaried staff. The longmember longed for the simpler days when the primary purpose was to carry the message and remain as a spiritual entity rather than a publishing empire and big business.
Mr. Rockefeller ordered copies of the Big Book for all those who were invited and gave an additional $1,000 to the movement. Rockefeller still held on to the belief that a lot of money would spoil the movement. He sent out letters extolling the virtues of AA to those he sent books to and through that "hint," an additional $2,000 was donated.
Bill once again felt that AA was on its way. He felt that more books would be sold and that the movement would take off like a rocket. Unfortunately, there wasn't a need for a second printing
of the Big Book until March 1941, just over a year after the Rockefeller Dinner.
The reason for this need for a second printing of almost 5,000 more copies was due to a momentous event in AA history.
This article is written by nationally recognized historian
and oft