PREFACE

(pp. 5)

Welcome to the first plain language edition of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Before we explore how this program might help you, we want to share a short history of this book.

The first version of the book Alcoholics Anonymous was published in April 1939. Since then, millions of copies have been bought and read by people across the world. It became the book that most A.A. groups used in their meetings, and many people now simply call it “the Big Book.” The central text of that book has remained the same since then, but many of the personal stories in the unabridged version have been changed since that time.

This version is different. It offers the same message and ideas as the first Big Book, but is written to be more easily understood.

This book is not intended to replace Alcoholics Anonymous. It is written to make the ideas presented in the Big Book easier to access. It is another tool for sharing the message of A.A.'s program of recovery.

We wanted to offer a version that used clearer and simpler language. We know that some people cannot be in regular contact with other A.A. members to get help with the ideas and vocabulary in the Big Book. Other people have a hard time reading, especially books written long ago that use older language. We want our program to help all people who want to stop drinking, and believe that creating a plain language Big Book would make that possible.

If you are curious about the original Big Book, we encourage you to get a copy and read it. Many, many A.A. members love it. If you attend A.A. meetings, or know any A.A. members, some of the members there would be happy to help you read through it.

But we have made sure that this version carries the same message and offers all of the same information as the original. It contains the same program of recovery from alcoholism that works for us and that will work for you if you follow it.

We hope that as you read, you will feel less alone. And we hope that the more you read, the more you will think to yourself, “Yes, I believe this program can work for me, too.”