Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions by Bill W. published by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., New York, 1973. 1st Edition, Twelfth Printing. Hardcover with dust jacket.

This book comprises 24 foundational essays by Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill W. that have helped millions of A.A. members worldwide both to get and stay sober “one day at a time,” and to ensure that their "Fellowship" — Alcoholics Anonymous as a whole — will be there for them tomorrow.

The book encourage readers to take an honest look at themselves, then deconstruct their egos and rebuild, little by little, in order to overcome addictions, out-of-control behaviors, and compulsions.

The Twelve Steps foster the practice of honesty, humility, acceptance, courage, compassion, forgiveness and self-discipline—pathways to positive behavioral change, emotional well-being and spiritual growth.

The Twelve Traditions are a guide to safeguard the unity of Alcoholics Anonymous and shield it from internal and external challenges.

This book will be the perfect gift for someone who is starting their personal journey of recovery and needs a spiritual foundation to overcome addiction and a guide towards a new way of life.

CONDITION: This Book is in good condition. Tight binding, clean text. Book shows normal fairly minor signs of storage & age. The dust jacket is worn, scuffed, chipped, ripped, has tears, and edge wear but previous owner wrapped it with a clear cover to protect it from further damage. The cover is a bit scuffed. Pages have turned yellow from age. There is a sweet message written to the previous owner on the endpaper at the front of the book. Please see pictures. THE PICTURES ARE TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE DESCRIPTION. PLEASE REVIEW THEM FOR A BETTER IDEA OF CONDITION.

CONTENTS:

Foreword

The Twelve Steps

Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Step 3: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

Step 4: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Step 5: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

Step 6: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Step 7: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

Step 8: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

Step 9: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Step 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Twelve Traditions

Tradition 1: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity.

Tradition 2: For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.

Tradition 3: The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.

Tradition 4: Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.

Tradition 5: Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

Tradition 6: An AA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

Tradition 7: Every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

Tradition 8: Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

Tradition 9: AA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

Tradition 10: Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues, hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

Tradition 11: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.

Tradition 12: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.