Writing The Big Book

The definitive history of writing and producing the"Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous, told through extensive access to the group's archives. Alcoholics Anonymous is arguably the most significant self-help book published in the twentieth century. Released in 1939, the “Big Book,” as it’s commonly known, has sold an estimated 37 million copies, been translated into seventy languages, and spawned numerous recovery communities around the world while remaining a vibrant plan for recovery from addiction in all its forms for millions of people. While there are many books about A.A. history, most rely on anecdotal stories told well after the fact by Bill Wilson and other early members—accounts that have proved to be woefully inaccurate at times. Writing the Big Book brings exhaustive research, academic discipline, and informed insight to the subject not seen since Ernest Kurtz’s Not-God, published forty years ago. Focusing primarily on the eighteen months from October 1937, when a book was first proposed, and April 1939 when Alcoholics Anonymous was published, Schaberg’s history is based on eleven years of research into the wealth of 1930s documents currently preserved in several A.A. archives. Woven together into an exciting narrative, these real-time documents tell an almost week-by-week story of how the book was created, providing more than a few unexpected turns and surprising departures from the hallowed stories that have been so widely circulated about early A.A. history. Fast-paced, engaging, and contrary, Writing the Big Book presents a vivid picture of how early A.A. operated and grew and reveals many previously unreported details about the colorful cast of characters who were responsible for making that group so successful.

"The writing lessons in this book are organized to quickly unpack the detail move, explain when and why the strategy works well, share how I have taught it to my students, and offer ways to make it your own." -Rozlyn Linder Have you ever told a writer to add more details, only to see their writing get longer not better? That's why Roz Linder wrote The Big Book of Details. "To help our students use details and elaborate effectively," she writes, "we need to find out what they want their writing to do, and then show them explicit moves to make it happen." Roz breaks elaboration into 5 categories and shares 46 lessons based on the moves that professional writers use. With if-then charts that connect student needs to just-right strategies, you'll help writers master details that: Describe: for people, places, and things Dance: for showing action and sequencing events Convince: for questions, persuasion, and arguments Inform: for defining, comparing, and clarifying Speak: for conversation and speech. The Big Book of Details supports planning and on-the-go teaching for one-on-one conferences, whole-class instruction, or commercial writing programs. Its lessons are organized to help kids understand each move quickly. Roz's strategy lessons include: examples from real-world writers the reason writers use the strategy advice for introducing it to writers ideas for guided practice with writers examples of one of Roz's famous classroom charts "This is what I want for my students," writes Roz Linder, "to use details in their writing in a meaningful way that conveys their ideas and their purpose." If you want that too, then make her Big Book of Details part of your teaching toolkit.

The Comprehensive Handbook for Scaffolding Students’ Literacy Growth Our readers and writers must "do the doing" if they are to succeed. In The Big Book of Literacy Tasks, Nancy Akhavan offers an instructional plan designed to yield independent effort and engagement. 75 tasks in beautiful full-color two-pagers ensure gradual release by moving more swiftly from the "I do" teacher phase to the "you do," when students benefit from the healthy amount of struggle that is the hallmark of learning. (And spoiler alert: you kick the habit of hovering, over-explaining, and rescuing!) Backed by research and thoughtfully arranged to make day-to-day planning easier, this groundbreaking book provides: Reading and writing tasks organized into 3 sections—everyday skills, weekly practices, and sometime engagements requiring greater complexity Mini-lessons that are essential— whether you use a reading program, a workshop approach, or are just transitioning to Balanced Literacy Colorful teaching charts allowing you to quickly grasp the high points of each lesson A clear task structure for introducing and managing the stages as you move students toward independent practice Mid-task "Watch Fors" and "Work Arounds" showing how to coach without risking helicopter teaching Amazing scaffolding tips for meeting the needs of a range of learners Sample student work that offers valuable insights on how to use the tasks as formative assessments Practical and engaging, The Big Book of Literacy Tasks gives you a clear framework for "working the minds" of your students, helping them forge their own path to becoming better readers and writers.

A fascinating, account of the discovery and program of Alcoholics Anonymous, Not God contains anecdotes and excerpts from the diaries, correspondence, and occasional memoirs of AA's early figures. The most complete history of A.A. ever written. Not God contains anecdotes and excerpts from the diaries, correspondence, and occasional memoirs of A.A.'s early figures. A fascinating, fast-moving, and authoritative account of the discovery and development of the program and fellowship that we know today as Alcoholics Anonymous.

An extraordinary reproduction of the original working manuscript of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, with an introduction and notes by a panel of celebrated AA historians. The Book That Started It All offers fresh insights into the history and foundation of the revolutionary Alcoholics Anonymous program. Reproduced in this elegant gift edition, the original working manuscript is the missing link in our understanding of what transpired between AA founder Bill Wilson's first draft of Alcoholics Anonymous and the first published edition. In January 1939, Wilson and other AA founders distributed 400 copies of his typed manuscript to everyone they could think of "who might be concerned with the problem of alcoholism," to test out the program. As the loan copies were returned, suggestions for revision were considered and written out in colored pencil on one master copy that was eventually submitted for publication.The many changes made in black, green, and red on page after page are shown here in their original form, revealing the opinions, debates, and discussions that went into making the Big Book.

Finally! The book that thousands of alcoholics have been waiting for! An updated version of the "Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous." This edited revision of the old, basic text is reader-friendly and carries the exact same message as the 1939 version of "Alcoholics Anonymous." It's written in a style that's friendly to readers of any gender, race, or spiritual path. Until now, Bill Wilson's 1939 book has never been edited for modern readers. This book is for: Women who object to the sexist language in the original Big Book. The EZ Big Book is gender neutral. All partners of alcoholics, including gays and lesbians. The EZ Big Book makes no assumption about the genders or marital status of partners. Alcoholics at all reading levels. The language is reader-friendly and journalistic in tone. Readers of any faith, including agnostics. The spiritual references in the book are all-encompassing. Non-English speakers. Readers for whom English is a second language buy the EZ Big Book because the writing is simple and direct. About the Author The author is a retired science and nature writer with double-digit of sobriety. Her last years of drinking took her to emergency rooms several times and finally to rehab.

A 75th anniversary e-book version of the most important and practical self-help book ever written, Alcoholics Anonymous. Here is a special deluxe edition of a book that has changed millions of lives and launched the modern recovery movement: Alcoholics Anonymous. This edition not only reproduces the original 1939 text of Alcoholics Anonymous, but as a special bonus features the complete 1941 Saturday Evening Post article “Alcoholics Anonymous” by journalist Jack Alexander, which, at the time, did as much as the book itself to introduce millions of seekers to AA’s program. Alcoholics Anonymous has touched and transformed myriad lives, and finally appears in a volume that honors its posterity and impact.

This is the Original Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous 1st Edition. The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism. This book describes how the founders, Bill Smith and Dr. Bob recovered from alcoholism through Spiritual Principles. This Edition is Equipped with a Twelve Step Guide & Prayer Section to help other addictions as well, Including Marijuana & Drug addiction, as well as Overeating, Gambling and Sex Addictions. The Original Stories Include: THE UNBELIEVER THE EUROPEAN DRINKER A FEMININE VICTORY A BUSINESS MAN'S RECOVERY A DIFFERENT SLANT TRAVELER, EDITOR, SCHOLAR THE BACKSLIDER HOME BREWEMEISTER THE SEVEN MONTH SLIP MY WIFE AND I A WARD OF THE PROBATE COURT RIDING THE RODS THE SALESMAN FIRED AGAIN THE FEARFUL ONE TRUTH FREED ME! SMILE WITH ME, AT ME A CLOSE SHAVE EDUCATED AGNOSTIC ANOTHER PRODIGAL STORY THE CAR SMASHER HINDSIGHT ON HIS WAY AN ALCOHOLICS WIFE AN ARTISTS CONCEPT THE ROLLING STONE