The Story Behind the Little Red Book

Discover how the author of The Little Red Book--and the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous--brought its enduring Twelve Step wisdom to millions in recovery. Inspired by the Twelfth Step--to carry the message to others--early AA visionary Ed Webster began in the 1940s to write down his ideas about the [...]
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Discover how the author of The Little Red Book--and the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous--brought its enduring Twelve Step wisdom to millions in recovery. Inspired by the Twelfth Step--to carry the message to others--early AA visionary Ed Webster began in the 1940s to write down his ideas about the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. With the sounding board of his home group, he compiled helpful suggestions for newcomers to the Fellowship. These insights were eventually published as The Little Red Book, becoming one of the most-used and best-loved study companions to the "Big Book," the basic text of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA historian Damian McElrath tells the lively story behind the book that has helped millions put the Steps to work in their daily lives. We see how Webster's ideas evolved, revealed by the margin notes in his own copy of The Little Red Book. His letters with Bill W. and Dr. Bob reveal how AA's founders helped ignite the book's popularity among those in recovery.As the book went back to press dozens of times, Webster's revisions show both the staying power of the heart of the work and the flexibility of the author and his supporters as they grew and learned on their own recovery journeys.