Aa history Lovers 2009 moderators Nancy Olson and Glenn F. Chesnut page
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A.A. in 1946.
letters from Bill to Dean B. (Indianapolis) on February 11, 1958; and Bill to George S. (Philadelphia) on June 2, 1958. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 5676. . . . . . . . . . . . RE: Publishing the 24 Hour book and Little Red Book From: Arthur S . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/7/2009 9:10:00 AM
1952 and 1953 to print the 12&12, is not consistent with its source reference to "Pass It On (pages 355-6):"
obtaining the money to publish the Big Book in 1939. In 1952 to 53, he met even more difficulties in obtaining the money to publish the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Finally, in desperation, he entered into a deal with Harper and Brothers, a commercial publisher, where two editions would be published, one for AA members, and the other a commercial version (for fifty cents more per copy). By later standards, this would probably have been regarded as a breach of the Traditions, but it was the only way Bill could figure out to raise the money to print his new book. See Pass It On, pages 355-6."
Reliable source reference show no such notion of difficulties in raising funds for publication of the 12&12 or of any other of Bill's works from the time of the establishment of the General Service Conference in 1951. In fact the record shows very much the opposite. Based on a 1951 Conference advisory action recommending that AA literature should have Conference approval, the Alcoholic Foundation Board formed a special Trustees’ committee on literature to recommend to the 1952 Conference literature items that should be retained and future literature items that would be needed. Bill W also reported to the 1952 Conference on the many literature projects he was engaged in. Bill's projects reported in the 1952 Conference final report were: (1) Up-dating the story section of the "Big Book" to provide a more truly representative cross-section of AA recovery stories; (2) A new series of anecdotal analyses of the Twelve Traditions; (3) A series of orderly, point-by-point essays on the Twelve Steps; (4) "A kind of a popular history of AA and its ideas of recovery, tradition and service"; (5) A book on the application of AA philosophy to the "total problem of living" and (6) A reference manual stating our total experience with the whole idea of service functions.
projects. For Bill, this resulted in publication of:(a) "The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions" in 1953; (b) “The Third Legacy Manual” in 1955 and
renamed “The AA Service Manual” in 1969; (c) The 2nd edition Big Book in 1955; (d) “AA Comes of Age” in 1957; (e) “The Twelve Concepts for World Service” in 1962; and (f) “The AA way of Life” in 1966 and later renamed to “As Bill Sees It” in 1975. In regards to the 12&12, "Pass It On" (pg 356) states that "The book was an immediate success." The 12&12 sold 29,567 copies in 1953 compared to Big Book sales of 23,296 copies.
Brothers with the consent of the General Service Conference (Traditions notwithstanding). In Bob P's "Unofficial History of AA" it states that in 1952 "Bill asked to be released from routine duties in order to concentrate on writing: updating the story section of the Big Book and writing a new series of essays on the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. The Literature Committee reported ten projects had been completed, and ten more were suggested by the Delegates. Volunteers couldn’t accomplish all this work, so the Conference approved employment of professional writers’ in AA (p 183)." I'd like to know what source documents give the impression of "difficulties in obtaining money." It doesn't seem to be historically accurate/factual. Cheers Arthur
RESPONSE FROM GLENN C. Arthur, I cited Pass It On, pages 355-6. If the New York AA office was rolling in money, then why did they enter that commercial agreement with Harper and Brothers over the two editions of the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions?
to do it in order to get the Twelve and Twelve published at all, then that commercial profit- making deal doesn't look very cricket to me. Glenn -----Original Message----- From: Glenn Chesnut Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009 2:25 PM To: AAHistoryLovers group Subject: Publishing the 24 Hour book and Little Red Book
> obtaining the money to publish the Twelve Steps > and Twelve Traditions. Finally, in desperation, > he entered into a deal with Harper and Brothers, > a commercial publisher, where two editions would > be published, one for AA members, and the other > a commercial version (for fifty cents more per > copy). By later standards, this would probably > have been regarded as a breach of the Traditions, > but it was the only way Bill could figure out > to raise the money to print his new book. > See Pass It On, pages 355-6. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 5677. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: the 24 Hour book and spirituality vs. religion From: Arthur S . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/7/2009 9:41:00 AM
211) regarding the Twenty-Four Hours a Day book,: "The history of AA literature is also told in the history of what was not published. Several Conferences had to deal with the request that the Twenty-Four Hours A Day book be adopted as AA literature, since it was written by an AA member and was in widespread use in AA (It was copyrighted and published by Hazelden and hence was not available. Also, being written in specific religious language, it would be inappropriate.) ..." [Note: Bob P wrote this in the mid-to-late 1980s]
publication rights on the “Twenty-Four Hours a Day” book written by AA member Richmond W.
Conference with the recommendation to: "Ask the Delegates to weigh this question for submission to the 1954 Conference: Does the Conference feel it should depart from its purely textbook program by printing non-textbook literature such as the "24 Hour Book of meditation?"
asked to consider the offer of the publisher who wished to give to AA Publishing, Inc. publication rights to the booklet, 'Twenty-Four Hours a Day.' A two-page letter from the publisher, favoring this proposal and answering certain objections to the proposal, was read to the Conference. The letter noted that current net profit from sales of the booklet is about $5,300 annually. Requests that AA Publishing, Inc. undertake publication of the booklet have been received from many areas, largely as the result of suggestions by the present publisher, it was reported. Comment by the Delegates indicated they felt it unwise to set a precedent in the case of this booklet and expressed fear that AA Publishing 'would be flooded with similar requests' if it did so. The Delegate from the State in which the booklet is published said it was the consensus of his group and of his area that the proposal not be approved. Following full discussion of the proposal, the Conference adopted a resolution that publication rights to 'Twenty-Four Hours a Day' not be accepted and further asked that the publisher be thanked for his offer."
not be confirmed as Conference-approved literature." Cheers Arthur
RESPONSE FROM GLENN C. Bob P.'s account is confused. At the time of the 1953-54 discussion, the Twenty Four Hour book was NOT being published by Hazelden. It was being published by Richmond Walker himself under the sponsorship of the Daytona Beach AA Group. The reasons given for New York not taking over its publication at that time were (as you note above):
flooded with similar requests' if it did so." (2) From the wording of the question which the 1953 Conference put to the 1954 Conference, it seems to have been a possible issue (to them) that the Twenty Four Hour book was "non-textbook literature."
in 1972 (a year after Bill W.'s death), Bill P. is correct in saying that it was now effectively a dead issue, since Hazelden now owned the copyright, and would not be expected to give it up. Glenn IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 5678. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: the 24 Hour book and spirituality vs. religion From: Glenn Chesnut . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/8/2009 4:04:00 PM
(trysh.travis at gmail.com) I'd like to politely disagree about the role religion played in the Conference decision not to approve *24 Hours a Day.* I have seen Richmond Walker's correspondence with the GSO and Literature Committee members on this matter at the Archives in New York, and it is fairly clear there that religiosity was an issue.
Walker wrote angrily about the rebuff he'd received from the Conference. Describing the official response to the proposal that "AA Publishing should accept the publication rights to the book *24 Hours a Day,*" Walker claimed that "favoring this proposal, the statement is made: 'The Book is accepted and used by a number of AAs who say they find it helpful.'" In opposing this proposal, two statements are made. One is, 'If a precedent is set, through acceptance of this offer, how would the movement be able to deal with the problem of many other booklets, for which Conference approval would undoubtedly be sought?....' The 2nd Statement is 'Since the booklet is regarded by some as having religious overtones, how could the movement justify its entrance into a field of publishing in which misinterpretation and misunderstanding could arise?'"
is a "book," not a "booklet," Walker goes on to respond to what must have been a delegate's or a committee's "statements" at some length: "This book carefully refrains from any mention of religion, and it has no more 'religious overtones' than the Big Book. It is largely spiritual and inspirational, but so is the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous.' ... There is no mention of religion in the whole book, for instance, the word 'Christ' or 'Jesus' is never mentioned, nor is it ever advised that we go to church. Where then, is the 'religion'? ... we have a spiritual program" why try to deny it? ... I do not think that either of these statements opposing the proposal have been fairly stated, nor do I think that they have any basis in fact." (RW to OKP, Box 73, Folder C.) We lack a "smoking gun" where someone explicitly states "AAWSO does not want to take over publication of the book because it is too religious," but the content of this letter makes it pretty clear, I think, that Walker got that message. Further, in a response to an "Ask-It Basket" question at the 1968 Conference, "Why can't we have a 24-Hour book printed by G.S.O.?" the statement was made that "The 'Twenty-Four Hours a Day' book was offered to A.A.W.S. some years ago. The Conference then felt it was too spiritually or religiously oriented. A.A.W.S. would be reluctant to put out a similar book. since it has no wish to compete with this book. "The A.A. Way of Life' seems to serve the same need." (Conference Report 1968, p. 27).
of uneasiness with Walker's religiosity. The logistical and procedural reasons the Conference had for declining the book were real, but so was a skittishness about the book's palpable Christian overtones. I say they are "palpable" because while Walker is correct that Christ, Jesus, and church are never mentioned in *24 Hours,* it routinely alludes to and quotes from the Christian Bible. (I'm just skimming through my copy at random here .... Quote from St. Paul, 26 April; references to parable of the Prodigal Son, 12-13 March; quote from Mark 13:13, "he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved," 19 Feb, etc.) Walker is clearly drawing on many other spiritual sources-- including, as Glenn has pointed out elsewhere, the "New Thought" beliefs he probably developed in the Emmanuel Movement in Boston. Even if it doesn't dominate the book, however, there is a clear pattern of Christian imagery and language present, enough that Walker's claim that "there is no mention of religion" seems a bit naive, and also enough, I think, so that reasonable people might find the book too "religious."
particularly concerned about this issue in the mid-1950s in my forthcoming book (which, as some of you know, I have been working on for MANY 24 hours!). We're still a few months away from the publication date, but you can get a preview of the finished product here:
spirituality vs. religion From: rick tompkins . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/6/2009 8:44:00 PM
periodical from the United Methodist Church and the phenomenal demand for the Twenty-Four Hours A Day book.
subscription, in the Narthex (the 'lobby') of my home Methodist Church and I'm sure it's made available there today.
led me in my early sobriety. AAWS' Daily Reflections wasn't available until 1990 and the "24 Hours Book" was the second reading at all of the Groups I attended, and its use remains widespread here in Illinois.
one reason for its prevalence in the Midwest.there are still Steering Committee discussions on which daily book to read at Group meetings and I'm sure that when AAWS assembles the second Daily Reflections (as currently proposed) there'll be a new round of more discussions.
meeting, "can we hear the AA Thought For the Day?" and all three sections are normally read. And, it reminds the group of the actual calendar date, to boot, LOL. Apart from the "thought," the "meditation," and the ending 'question' the "Meditation For the Day" comes directly from the Oxford Group movement's use of God Calling by Two Listeners (A.H. Russell, Editor). Richmond W. either excerpted verbatim or rewrote many of the same daily messages from God Calling, bringing it home to AA recovery and spiritual growth.
members) on his use of the older "Two Listeners" work. Was he accused of being "not maximum" or worse? Perhaps by the time Richmond finished his draft in the early 1950s, God Calling was an historically obscure item. The "Two Listeners" daily meditations are still in print by a few publishers and I was fortunate to find a used copy years ago. In the 24 Hours book, some of the Meditations follow directly from the Thought and others seem completely disjointed from the lead Thought, but the textual 'dance with the power of God' reinforced my dwindled Faith early on. I like to think that Richmond's work was assembled and written as a recovered AA's resource to find and rediscover faith in the Trinity of an almighty God. I chose my most effective concept of a Higher Power as the workings of the Holy Spirit and have found others who found the same HP along the way. My belief in the "Son" is ultimately an AA outside issue but it's an 'inside job' for this ex-drunk! The apostle Paul writes that the 'worldly wisdom is not God's wisdom.' My path of recovery led me full circle to my belief in "the peace of God that surpasses all understanding" and I am a better person for it. Richmond W.'s effort took the wheel for a while on that path. With serenity to all, Rick, Illinois On a side note, when Works Publishing and/or A.A. Publishing declined taking on the responsibilities of publishing the 24 Hours book, the Little Red Book, or any other suggestions, it really had no choice---the funding wasn't available, period. Hence, the dual-publishing of the 1953 12+12 with Harper Brothers helped its distribution, along with the same dual publishing of the 1957 AA Comes of Age with Harper's. Even the fledgling GSO in England politely, in 1954, declined to publish the 12+12 in the UK for lack of funds. ---R. - - - - FROM GLENN C. Rich had gotten sober once for two and a half years (1939-1941) in the Oxford Group, but then he went back to drinking again.
putting away so much alcohol that he had to be hospitalized several times, lying there suffering through the D.T.'s. But still he could not stop. "I was lying in a hospital when my wife sent a lawyer to tell me she did not want me around any longer. In this she was certainly justified -- I was of no use as a husband or father to my children." He and Agnes had been married about nineteen years at the time. He was forty-nine years old, and everything was now destroyed. It was clear to one and all that he was a hopeless alcoholic, and as he said in his lead, "my wife rightly refused to put up with it any longer." So he was very definitely "not maximum"! Finally, in May 1942, he joined the newly founded AA group in Boston, and never drank again. And also got back with his wife and family again.
book that he obtained permission from Dodd, Mead and Company for adapting material from "God Calling by Two Listeners" for use in the fine print section at the bottom of each page.
http://hindsfoot.org/RWfla2.html http://hindsfoot.org/RWfla3.html
autobiographical passages in the Twenty Four Hour book)
spirituality vs. religion From: Lee Nickerson . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/7/2009 8:30:00 PM
away
thinking that the only reason that AA did not conference-approve this book was
because it would set a precedent other than AA publishing and creating their own
literature. It seems that most AAs I know are self-fancied writers and if there
was a part of the Conference that approved any writing that was submitted, there
would probably have to be a separate office somewhere just to handle that load.
I don't see or hear about the 24 hour Book much in my area but it was the top
recommended reading when I got sober. I am satisfied with the belief that if something is not conference-approved, it is not conference-non approved. We can only examine and approve so much. - - - - From: "John Schram" (lasenby327 at surfree.com) I too had heard the the Walker book Twenty-Four Hours a Day was turned down due to meditation and prayer section. I had heard this came from book "God Calling" by A J Russell. John Schram Corona del Mar, Calif. - - - - From: James Flynn (jdf10487 at yahoo.com) I thought the Daily Reflections book was written so that AA members could have a Daily Meditations book that was conference approved. When I got sober in 1987 it was suggested to me (by a sponsor) that I get a 24 hour a day book, a Big Book, the 12 &12, Living Sober, the Little Green Book and the Little Red Book. This was to be my "spiritual stash." Apparently this was standard operating procedure in some parts of the country before the Daily Reflections book was published. I say this because I have corresponded with many other people in AA who were given similiar directions by their sponsors. Later it seemed that there was some anti-hazelden, anti-treatment sentiments going around the program and people stopped advocating the use of Hazelden publications and chips. Hazelden or "Hazelnut" as some critics liked to call it, became the object of derision. Evidently this Yüklə 11,49 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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