Alcoholics Anonymous — First Edition

The Original Big Book.  The Alcoholics Anonymous First Printing of the First Edition Big Book from 1939 with the Original Dust Jacket is the most uncommon AA Big Book book to find available for purchase with an exception for the Seventh Printing from 1945 which only had a few hundred copies printed due to printing errors.  There were approximately 4,600 First Printings that were printed in April 1939. For comparison, each of the first 6 printings of the book had approximately 5,000 copies and the Eighth Printing from 1945 had 20,000. With the First Printing being the oldest and most unique of...

During World War II, The United States Government placed regulations on book printings. These regulations were put in place to conserve paper by limiting the size and weight of books. The Alcoholics Anonymous book was given the nickname “The Big Book” because Bill Wilson and Hank Parkhurst wanted to justify the cost of $3.50. Which at the time was almost unheard of for a book. Consequently, the printer began using thick paper with large margins to increase the size of the book, hence the name “The Big Book.” Clearly, there was no need for such a large book for the...