Alcoholism Books

This is a Great book with alot of deep insight to freedom from addiction also to freedom in life.

I am free from addiction! This book explains in great detail how the POWER alluded to in the 12 steps ONLY comes from Jesus , and once you accept His most graceful redemption, there is NO need to call yourself addicted anymore! Please get out of the SIN (sitting in negativity) and rejoice in His holy name. I've studied and read, '2 Tracks One Goal', Dick B 'Akron Genesis of AA'., 'The Good Book and the Big Book'.... NO other book spells out how to get free FROM addiction! Not information ABOUT addiction, not a man-made 'design' for living, not a program to modify behavior... a TRANSLATION into a new being. (II Cor 5:17) and (1 Sam 10:6). This masterpiece shows all Bible references to the "program"... whence the essence. If you are serious about recovery, this is the best book (besides the Word of God) I've read! Thank you authors for your obedience to His Word. My fellow recoveries.... I pray you will pick this up and open your heart to God's Words. I understand why they now have a workbook based upon this book! It is a lifelong mission to fully apply the precepts explained in this book into one's life. Hallelujah! Praise and Glory to God!

I had attended 6 AA meetings and still had many questions; How did AA begin? Is AA right for me? Are all meetings the same? What is a sponsor and how do I get one? What is the Big Book? and what do some of the slogans they use mean? Getting started in AA answered all of these questions and more. The book is designed in a way to allow readers to read it straight through or as a referance tool. It is divided into several parts so that you can easily skip around to the subjects that interest you the most. The content of the book is complete and written so that it can be read with ease. Although I skipped around a little, I read most of the book in one night. It answered all of my questions and gave me some guidence as to what to expect and what step to take next. I highly recomend this book to anyone who is new to AA or maybe has been in the program for a while, but still has questions about AA. This is also a good book for anyone who has never been to AA, but wants to stop drinking and is not sure if AA is right for them.

I buy this book in bulk and give it to newcomers at meetings. It is a terrific comprehensive intro to AA, the customs and slogans of which can seem overwhelming to people also struggling to decide if they need to stop drinking. This book will never go out of date, for much of AA has stayed unchanged for the last 20-30 years (if not for the last 70 years, since it began). To your health!

The stories in this collection are so gripping and intense, the characters are so disturbingly real. I loved watching the wildly edgy scenes play out like a film in my mind. This is a superb read that I highly recommend!!

Thank God (or whomever or whatever you thank) for the resurgence and acceptance of the short story as a commercially viable literary form. And thanks again for this collection, a wonderful polyphony of characters, places and stories that are both recognizable and utterly alien at the same time, mimicing the world we know, (or if we really think about it, we know). Teasley's style makes the characters ours, and her writing has a rich but brutally honest tone that is so delightful to escape to, particularly in this age of the utterly pretentious "debut novel". An exceptional book.

I like this book because it kind of follows a line Bill Wilson used to take. If Bill didn't like something like the Oxford Group or the Washingtonians, Bill would often say they taught us a little about what to do and a lot more about what not to do. Unfortunately the facts rarely squared with Bill's own life and actions and beliefs, but they served to mollify the critics. In this book, Dick B. has done a terrific job about contrasting the one, true, living God, Yahweh the Creator, with the "other" deities that we hear of more and more in A.A. Yes, absurd names for God, half-baked prayers, and self-made religion have crept into A.A. and into recovery chatter. That's dangerous. That's confusing. That's unfortunate because there are many like myself who are Christians, believers in God, and Bible students; and we are not keen about listening to people talk about their "higher power" who is a rock, a light bulb, the A.A. group, the Big Dipper, Ralph, Something, Somebody, or not-god.
I heard a number of people ask Dick B. to write about the nature and origin and roots of the "higher power" and "Power Greater than ourselves," and "God as we understand Him" stuff. And that is exactly what he does in this book; and he puts it in terms of his own admiration for, and experience in, A.A. It kind of reminds me of the old song: "Trusting in the saviour, I shall not be moved." Dick is not to be moved toward the silly gods or silly names. And he is not to be moved away from the Creator and His son Jesus Christ. From what I see in this book, neither was Dr. Bob. Especially when he wrote: "Your Heavenly Father will never let you down" (Big Book, p. 181). Here's one that helped me answer the "rock," "Somebody," "Great Pumpkin," and not-god stuff with A.A.'s own history and how revisionists have corrupted it. This book is for the sturdy who don't want to be moved from reliance on Almighty God no matter what some therapist, treatment center, or A.A. speaker may invent as a "higher power" to whom you can supposedly pray and from whom you can supposedly expect to receive healing. I think Psalm 115 said it all centuries and centuries ago.

Dick B. dealt with this proliferating "goofy gods" recovery problem straight on. More and more therapists, counselors, rehabs, and even AAs are substituting absurd names for "god" in place on the one, true, living God who was the source of power relied on for recovery in A.A. Reverend Sam Shoemaker--dubbed a co-founder of A.A. by Bill W.--rejected such practices when he spoke to AAs at their International Convention. In this book, the author deals with the originating expressions--higher power, power greater than ourselves, and God as we understood Him--and shows how they were weak and compromising expressions that replaced the Heavenly Father, Creator, Maker, Father, God of our fathers, Father of Lights, and Spirit with plainly Biblical origins and meanings. In keeping with a belated deal made by three AAs--Bill W., Hank P., and Fitz M., the stage was set after the Big Book manuscript was readied for publication. Fitz protested that the change would obliterate the Christian and Biblical expressions which were part of the original program. Fitz lost. The Step language was changed. The original materials were simply tossed out and lost. And if all that merely involved a search for original meanings, the problem would be a tiny one. However, AAs, counselors, and those associated with recovery began calling their "higher power" a radiator, a light bulb, a tree, a table, a chair, Santa Claus, Ralph, Gertrude, a door knob, a rock, the goddess, and many many more idolatrous words and phrases. Such usage offends me because it deceives and misleads. It also clearly violates the Ten Commandments, which were revered in early A.A. And it is best answered, perhaps, by the explanation of such nonsense in Psalm 115. I am delighted that Dick looked at the Big Book titles, the Bible names and titles, and then documented all the places where the goofy god names replaced the Creator. I rejoice too in the careful studies by Stewart C., Dick B., and George T. over the years which showed that the word "God" and Biblical synonyms such as Creator, Maker, Father, as well as descriptive pronouns numbered over 400 in the Third Edition of the Big Book. By contrast, "higher power" is used twice--both times in the context of the word "God." I doubt that atheists and rim-runners will find much comfort in reading the facts as to how far the "God business" has gotten out of line; but I am sure that devout believers--Christians, Jews, Protestants, and Roman Catholics alike will welcome a book that tells it like it was instead of encouraging sick alcoholics to "find" and put other gods before Yahweh, the Creator. There's more to be read also in Dick's titles, Cured; When Early AAs Were Cured and Why; The Good Book and The Big Book; and The Good Book-Big Book Guidebook.

I know Dick B. quite well. I am an ambassador for Christ. I am a son of God. I am a Bible student. And I'm a former soldier--I know about the spiritual battle too. More than any seem to realize today, Dick has highlighted the same believing in the early A.A. Christian Fellowship. Not much more needs to be said: You need to find the details in this little gem of a book. In a few words, it shows you how Bill Wilson and A.A. Number Three confirmed that the Lord had cured them of alcoholism. It also confirms the later conversions of the A.A. pioneers--they were required to believe in God, come to Him through Jesus Christ, study the Bible, pray, ask His wisdom, obey His will, grow in fellowship, and then experience cure. Whereupon, they were to help others with the same information. They were ambassadors. They were soldiers on the spiritual battlefield. And they knew how to achieve victory. This book is an inspiration for those who want to get well, and who want to say, along with A.A. founders: The Lord has cured me of this terrible disease; and I just want to keep talking about it and telling people. That's the Golden Text of A.A. You can still find it on page 191 of the 4th edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 191.

"The Lord has been so wonderful to me, curing me of this terrible disease that I just want to keep telling people about it." How many AAs and recovery programs today know that Bill Wilson and A.A. Number Three both used this expression. A.A. Number Three called it The Golden Text of A.A. And you can find the details on page 191 of Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed. Yep. It's alive and well today. And if you thumb back a few pages to Dr. Bob's story, you'll see that Bob also twice commented on the cure the pioneers had found. There's lots more in this priceless little book. But it captured the attention of the managers of the Wilson House. It became the subject of one of Dick B.'s Heritage Seminars there. And its words and theme need to be hammered home to those wandering souls that are teaching newcomers more and more often that you can believe in anything you want in A.A., or in nothing at all. Baloney! Not unless you prefer to drink.

Harm reduction philosophy seeks to reduce the harmful consequences resulting from drug use, which may or may not entail reducing usage of drugs. Harm reduction rejects the "disease model" of addiction, which says that addiction is a hereditary, progressive, degenerative, fatal disease. Instead, harm reduction says that substance use occurs on a continuum, ranging from being very problematic to non-problematic.

Because harm reduction promotes any treatment goal that reduces harm, rather than only abstinence, people who are unwilling or unable to stop using drugs or alcohol are able to find treatment goals that they are willing to work toward. If the person being treated doesn't want to stop and the only treatment goal is abstinence, the likelihood that they will quit is next to nothing.

Much empirical evidence suggest that this approach is the most effective form of treatment available, but for political reasons it is used only minimally in the United States.

This book reviews a wide range of studies that have been done on harm reduction. It provides basic descriptions of programs and makes recommendations on how to implement them more effectively. Topics covered include: moderation for alcohol usage, HIV/AIDS prevention, harm reduction for illegal drugs, methadone maintenance, needle exchange, and a variety of other topics.

If you've ever wondered what the effectiveness of these programs is, all the studies done on them are in this book. The last chapter presents an alternative public health approach to treatment as an alternative (likely to be more effective) to the war on drugs (which research suggests is having no effect on drug availability or rates of drug use).

This book is geared to addiction counselors and treatment providers, but would be good reading for parents, teachers, law enforcement officials or drug reform activists. I would recommend it to anyone who has interest.

If you are looking for an alternative to rigid, one-dimensional, abstinence-only approaches to substance abuse or HIV prevention, this book is the place to start. According to the harm reduction philosophy, abstinence is one end of a continuum of human behavior, and is not something that can be attained overnight by those most in need of help. As a professional working in this field, I find the book to be a welcome and thought-provoking summary of the various principles of the harm reduction model, and the basis of a reworking of outdated programs based on "one slip and you're out." Plenty of research data is provided to replace ideology with reality. Everyone will not agree with everything in this book, but it is going to be a point of departure for some time to come.

Superb real world and psychiatric view of the fundamentals at work in the AA Solution. Dr. Tiebout became involved with the "first 100" (as a non alcoholic) and continued to work with Bill and AA as a whole throughout his career. Not only did he incorporate methods from our textbook, Alcoholics Anonymous, with his patients, he also looked deeply into the core of AA's Solution. His insights into some of the issues at work in our disease, the power of surrender and the subsequent ego deflation are fascinating and right on the mark.

If I ran the zoo, which, thank god I don't, this book would become "AA Approved" literature. I just finished my first, I expect of many, reading and am already using and sharing Dr. Tiebout's concepts with sponsees and at meetings.

A must read recommendation from this long time member!

This book is a compilation of the principal writings of Dr. Harry Tiebout, a psychiatrist who developed keen insight into alcoholism and recovery. Dr. Tiebout treated many alcoholics, with little success until one of his patients experience a "surrender" which started a period of sobriety lasting the rest of her life. Through studying the "surrender reaction" and the success of the recovery program in Alcoholics Anonymous, Dr. Tiebout described key aspects of the alcoholic personality, as well as factors necessary for recovery, in the articles contained in this publication. Recommended reading for anyone interested in alcoholism and recovery.

I've used Fr. Peyton's rosary book for years and highly recommend that, (esp since his cause for sainthood has just been opened). However, Mike D.'s meditation definitely gave me a new perspective on the rosary. It's such a powerful tool and if you see any sin as an addiction, you can customize his meditations into something relevant to your situation. Also his conversion story was quite touching as well.

This is a wonderful book for all people in recovery. You'll learn a proven method of prayer and meditation that you will return to again and again. I always faltered when trying to meditate-but this program helps me stay in the process and the benefits include an improved conscious contact with my higher power. Thanks Mike D. for this wonderful book.

This book helped. I just recommended it to another friend and checked to see if it is available. I was so glad to find it here. Heal the wounds and break the cycle. It is true, there is hope.

I have owned a dozen copies of this book over the years because I keep giving it to people who are aching from growing up households (alcoholic or not) where there were serious issues that were "pretended" away, leaving deep scars.

Ms. Marlin shows us our vulnerabilities with such kindness and hope. I am forever grateful.

This book is wonderfull for newly recovering addicts and alcoholics. I've given this book to ten of my clients and it's helped support their early recovery. I think every recovery center should stock this book for their newcomers.

I love how this book has everything I would want to tell someone trying to get sober all in the same book. The first thirty days can seem like an eternity so this book takes you hour by hour through your first month.

If you want to get sober and are too afraid to ask for help, this is a great starting place. It's also a great thing to have on hand if someone is in a crisis. Give them a copy of Hour to Hour for those long nights when the are alone and afraid.

I've never taken the time to write a book review, but this is a must read for anyone struggling to get sober, or anyone that works in the field of recovery.