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AA TALKS BY BIG BOOK STORY AUTHORS Alcoholics Anonymous talks given by people who have had their stories printed in the back of the Big Books |
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ARCHIE TROWBRIDGE - DETROIT, MI 12-25-48
Archie is the author of the Big Book Story, "THE FEARFUL ONE."
The story first appeared in the Original Manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous. This story was later called, "THE MAN WHO MASTERED FEAR." Archie was the man that started AA in Detroit, Michigan. He recorded this AA Talk in Detroit on Christmas night in 1948. He is introduced as "Arch Trowbridge, Our Founder." Archie recalls that 11 years ago on Christmas night, he was very drunk. He began drinking heavily at age 21. He lost both parents when he was 30 and his drinking got even heavier. Eleven years ago when Archie was 39 years old, he quit drinking. That was on a Saturday morning, September 3rd, 1938. He was taken from Detroit to Akron where he met up with Dr Bob and his wife, Anne Smith. Dr Bob put him into City Hospital. Archie says he spent Labor Day in the hospital reading Sermon on the Mount. He received a lot of AA visitors there. Archie was in such poor health that he moved in with Dr Bob for 10 months. Bill Wilson drove him back to Detroit. Archie says he felt fantastic when he was able to put his first AA prospect on a train from Detroit to Akron where Dr Bob was waiting. Archie goes on to tell how AA began in the Detroit area and at the end of this talk he says, "I'd like to say that if I could drink today, I wouldn't want to if I had to forfeit my membership in AA because it's the grandest thing that I know of. Thank you." There is a background noise that runs through this recording; however it is still very easy to understand every word that is said.
Contents - 10 Tracks
Length - 48 Minutes
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BETH HARTLEY - CINCINNATI, OHIO 5-4-01
Beth is the author of the 4th Edition Big Book Story, "EMPTY ON THE INSIDE."
Beth recorded this AA talk at Pockets of Enthusiasm in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 4, 2001. Since her father was also an AA Member, Beth is a second generation AA. She mentions accompanying her dad to AA meetings and him sending her a package of AA books and a tape of his lead the first time she sought AA's help for herself. Her story is very contemporary. She talks of issues like drugs, single parenthood and how other modern problems present additional problems for the recovering person. Beth talks about growing up in Ohio with a father in recovery. She shares some of her adolescent attitudes and her early drinking. She tells of the progression of her alcoholism, her faltering recovery and how she finally hit bottom and got sober. A good part of the talk is also about her program now and what she does to maintain her sobriety.
Contents - 14 Tracks
Length - 67 Minutes
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BETH HARTLEY - OMAHA, NE 3-15-02
Beth is the author of the 4th Edition Big Book Story, "EMPTY ON THE INSIDE."
Beth recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Luck O' the Irish Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on March 15th, 2002. Beth is from Cincinnati, Ohio. Her date of sobriety is June 26th, 1988. She had some very early exposure to AA when she attended meetings with her father at age seven, but that early education meant nothing about avoiding her own future problem with alcohol. Beth says she always had a big problem being alone with herself. After years of drinking, Beth finally hit her bottom while in Florida. Her mother flew her back to Ohio. In very early sobriety, Beth really "clicked" with the woman speaker when she stated, "Alcohol took me to the point where I did not want to care for my children. I just wanted to drink." Beth goes on to say how her life began getting better and better. She got her kids back. She married a nice AA man. Lots of gratitude in Beth's message.
Contents - 12 Tracks
Length - 59 Minutes
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BETH HARTLEY - ST SIMONS ISLAND, GA 5-27-04
Beth is the author of the 4th Edition Big Book Story, "EMPTY ON THE INSIDE."
Beth recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk on May 27th, 2005. Beth's sobriety date is June 26th, 1988. She begins by stating that she's a little nervous because her mother is in the crowd and she's never heard her speak "live" before. Beth is from Cary, North Carolina but she grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. She says that there is no "advanced AA" for her; she does the same things now that she was told to do when she first entered the program. Beth tells some stories of how she was continually hitting bottom when she was drinking. Now that she's sober, she's got a lot of gratitude and you can easily hear it in her voice.
Contents - 11 Tracks
Length - 53 Minutes
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BILL DOTSON - THE MAN ON THE BED - NORTH CANTON, OH - JANUARY 1950
Bill is the author of the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Edition Big Book Story, "ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS NUMBER THREE."
This is a very special talk by AA #3 - BILL DOTSON, AKA: "THE MAN ON THE BED." This is a special talk partly because it's the only recording ever made of Bill Dotson. It's also special because Bill is the very first success story that Bill Wilson & Doctor Bob had. This talk was recorded on January 1st, 1950 in North Canton, Ohio. Bill Dotson was 58 years of age at the time. At the age of 43, coming off of another drunk, and strapped down to a bed in Akron City Hospital for the 10th time in just a few months, Bill Dotson was paid a visit by the two co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill Wilson and Doctor Robert Smith. He tells of the one thing that convinced him more than anything that he should give AA a shot; when he asked how much he was going to be charged for this AA stuff, he was told that not only will it not cost him anything but Bill W and Doctor Bob wouldn't take a cent from him even if he had a million dollars. He was convinced at that point that these two guys were genuine. In this talk Bill D, in his southern Kentucky drawl, explains how it was, what happened and what it's like for him now. He also talks about the first anniversary of the first AA group in Akron. They had 4 people in attendance. When he first got sober, his intention was to carry the message to a few other drunks and felt that that would be the end of his AA work. He never even dreamed that he would be talking at an AA meeting in North Canton, Ohio 15 years later. After being in AA for a while he realized that his mission was not to save the world, like he believed he could do at one time, but to keep Bill Dotson sober. That was his first priority. He says that about a year ago he was sick in bed with a bad virus. He was overcome with a strong feeling of gratitude when his wife pointed out that he hasn't spent that much time in bed in 15 years when he was too drunk to get out of bed. When wrapping up his talk, he makes it very clear that he hopes that everyone in this program can "Keep it Simple." This is a one of a kind talk from a man who was there "almost" from the very beginning.
Contents - 10 Tracks
Length - 50 Minutes
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BILL GREEN - 1954
Bill is the author of the 2nd Edition Big Book Story, "THERE'S NOTHING THE MATTER WITH ME."
He was an early member of Alcoholics Anonymous in the New Jersey area. This is Bill's very entertaining AA talk with superbly humorous message. Bill is from Nutley, New Jersey. He tells his story in his own way. He has a way of emphasizing phrases and using his tone and manner of saying things which adds great color to his story. His story is easy to identify with. Bill tells of one self-created booze related calamity after another, but like any real alcoholic he says, "There's nothing the matter with me" and believes it too!
Contents - 8 Tracks
Length - 38 Minutes
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BILL GREEN - CANADA 6-26-77
Bill is the author of the 2nd Edition Big Book Story, "THERE'S NOTHING THE MATTER WITH ME."
Bill is from New Jersey and he's a really great down-to-earth AA speaker. When his drinking became bad he tried a geographical cure by moving to the west coast. It didn't work. In no time at all he was up to a fifth of alcohol daily just to feel normal. His wife, who he had been married to for 53 years at the time of this talk, had to lock him in his room with no clothing so he couldn't go out and buy booze. Bill ended up on skid row drinking Muscatel with the winos. He eventually found the Salvation Army who put him to work bailing newspapers for 95 cents per week. Bill became a panhandler. He ended up in a hospital in a straight jacket. That's when he first heard of Alcoholics Anonymous. He was pretty much strong armed into AA by a couple of real tough cookies. This AA speech is great; a little humor and a great message. He finishes his talk by saying, "You don't have to worry about God anymore. He's sitting right in front of your eyes. Try it sometimes. Thanks for having me."
Contents - 15 Tracks
Length - 76 Minutes
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BOB KOSLOFF - MENDOCINO, CA 9-19-09
Bob authored the 4th Edition Big Book story, "ON THE MOVE."
Bob is from San Francisco. He recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 5th Retreat to Serenity in Mendocino, California on September 19th, 1997. Bob says that he grew up in the suburbs of New York City in a good home but always had an unexplained fear. He began experimenting with alcohol in his teenage years. In an attempt to control his alcohol problem, Bob began using heroin. In the early 1970s, he found himself living right in the middle of the Haight Ashbury section of San Francisco. Bob very emotionally recalls how he hit and killed an eight year old boy while drunk driving. While serving a lengthy prison sentence, Bob slowly began "heal" by accepting the AA principles. He actually felt more freedom being sober in prison that being drunk out on the streets. Bob goes on to tell how his life just got better and better. He was released from prison. He was accepted at a college. He got his driver's license back. He found that he had a 17 year old daughter that he had not known about. In the last portion of this recording, Bob just "oozes" gratitude. He's risen from the gates of Hell to having a fantastic life, all because of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Contents - 12 Tracks
Length - 59 Minutes
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BOB PEARSON - JACKSON'S MILL, WV 1981
Bob from Greenwich, Connecticut is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book story, “AA TAUGHT HIM TO HANDLE SOBRIETY.” Bob, from Riverside, CA recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Fall Roundup in Jackson’s Mill, WV in 1981. At the time, Bob was the manager of the AA General Service office in New York City. He tells some pretty rough stories about what alcohol did to him physically. He was passing out and blacking out and lying when he didn’t have to. Bob’s doctor finally gave up on him but in a weird twist, sent him to see Dr Harry Tiebout. He spent a lot of time in High Watch Farms. Bob eventually experienced a complete release from his compulsion to drink. He tells a story about when he was an early AA member. He heard a speaker in Houston state that “AA doesn’t help us control our drinking, AA teaches us to handle sobriety.” This was later to become the title of Bob’s story in the Big Book. It’s very obvious when you hear this recording that you’re listening to a very grateful man.
Contents - 16 Tracks
Length - 78 Minutes
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BOB PEARSON - QUEENS, NY 6-18-91
Bob is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book story, "AA TAUGHT HIM TO HANDLE SOBRIETY."
Bob gave this talk in Queens, New York on June 18th, 1991. Bob begins his talk by saying that 30 years ago this month, he was in a hospital with intravenous feeding tubes in one arm and blood transfusions in the other. He had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, and had just suffered a massive esophageal hemorrhage. He was told at discharge time that if he had another drink, he would die. Bob continued to drink. A few months later Bob was hospitalized for the same problem. This time he snuck out of the hospital, bought vodka, and drank it in his hospital room. His doctor "fired" him telling him that he could no longer be responsible for his life. Bob talks a lot about the "Joy of Living" in this AA program. "If we can't have more fun in sobriety than we had while drinking, we will definitely go back to drinking." "It's one thing to have to have a drink to be able to answer the door - It's another thing to have to have a drink just in case somebody comes to the door." Bob sums up his talk by saying that one of the most significant things he ever heard in AA came from an old timer. The old timer told him: "Alcoholics Anonymous did not teach me to handle my drinking. AA taught me to handle sobriety."
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 62 Minutes
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BOB PEARSON - SAN FERNANDO, CA 2-3-84
Bob is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book story, "AA TAUGHT HIM TO HANDLE SOBRIETY."
Bob gave this talk in San Fernando, California on February 3rd, 1984. His sobriety date is July 3rd, 1961. Bob's home group is in Greenwich, Connecticut, the third oldest AA group in the country. Bob talks about the AA General Service Office, where he works. He talks about the structure of AA. Bob says that 23 years ago he woke up in a strange hospital dying of cirrhosis of the liver. His arms were strapped to the bed. He was receiving blood transfusions and being fed intravenously. As soon as he was able, he snuck out of the hospital, bought a bottle of vodka and returned. After his doctor caught him, he turned him over to Doctor Harry Tiebout. Bob's story is serious but with a touch of humor. He sums up his talk by saying, "We are all at peace for the first time in our lives. We're at peace with ourselves, our fellow man, and at peace with God."
Contents - 15 Tracks
Length - 74 Minutes
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CECIL "TEET" CARLE - NEWHALL, CA 10-22-85
Cecil (AKA: Teet) is the author of the 3rd edition Big Book Story, "THOSE GOLDEN YEARS."
Cecil recorded this AA talk in Newhall, California on October 22nd, 1985. He was 86 years old at the time of this talk and was sober just shy of 16 years. His sobriety date is November 22nd, 1969. He went to his first AA meeting at age 70. He says just prior to that time he was, "Drinking to Die." His first exposure to AA was when he accidentally walked into a young person's meeting. He felt very out of place and attempted to leave but soon he began to relate very well to things that were being said by a particular 19 year old. Cecil says that for him the best way to get to Alcoholics Anonymous was to go all the way to Hell and making a U-turn. He talks about writing an article for the AA Grapevine that eventually was included in the 3rd edition of the AA Big Book. This is a great talk by a man who came late in life to AA and at the end of his talk Cecil says, "Thank all of you people for being here today and thank you for letting me love you."
Contents - 10 Tracks
Length - 50 Minutes
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CHET RUDE - SANTA BARBARA, CA 10-15-53
Chet (AKA: Chester) is the author of the 2nd edition Big Book Story, "IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE."
Chet recorded this AA talk in Santa Barbara, California on October 15th, 1953. Chet begins his talk by thanking Cliff Walker, Chuck Chamberlain and the others for making this event possible. He says he feels he is very lucky. He's never been in jail or a sanitarium because of his drinking. But all that he needed to determine that he was an alcoholic was to hear that first step; He was powerless over alcohol and his life was definitely unmanageable. Chet says that when he first joined AA he was told three things; to attend meetings regularly, never turn down a 12 Step call, and to share the message whenever he was asked. The spiritual aspect of this program appealed to Chet very much and he was willing to do anything it took to get in touch with a higher power. He says that he indeed did have a spiritual experience when he heard 7000 people say The Lord's Prayer in unison at the First International AA Conference in Cleveland in 1950. Chet recites an inspirational message called "Just for Today." At the end of his talk Chet says, "Just as we had an obsession with the saloons and the bottles, may we now have an obsession with the 12 Steps that help us maintain our sobriety. Thank you very much." Because of the age of the original tape, the quality of this recording is somewhat less than perfect, however the words are understandable and Chet's message is clear.
Contents - 7 Tracks
Length - 36 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - 1965
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence, the "Founder of Cleveland AA," lived in St Petersburg, Florida at the time of this talk. In this talk, in reference to him entering Alcoholics Anonymous before it was actually named, Clarence tells how he came into a, "Fellowship that did not exist." He tells about his drinking that had gotten so bad he became unemployable. Dorothy, his wife at the time, was the manager of an employment agency and she couldn't even get him a job. He was sponsored into the AA program by Dr Bob Smith. In the 15 months after getting sober, Clarence tells how he only missed two of the weekly Oxford Group meetings at T Henry Williams' house. Before beginning AA in Cleveland, Clarence tells of the arguments he had with Dr Bob regarding members of his Cleveland contingent. The churches that some of the Cleveland members belonged to strongly objected to the "open testimonial" tradition of the Oxford Group meetings. This was the main reason for Clarence breaking away from the Akron group. Clarence tells of the first AA meeting in Cleveland Heights, Ohio at the home of Al Golrick and the subsequent, "AA Riot" that took place there. Near the end of this recording Clarence tells the story of the Prodigal Son.
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 65 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - 1972
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
At the time of this recording, Clarence had 44 years of sobriety and was living in Casselberry, Florida. . He tells about his first, "AA Baby," and how proud he was to finally get one. He talks about the split with Dr Bob and the Oxford Group. Clarence tells the story of Noah and the Ark and the theory that Noah was an alcoholic. He goes into detail about how the AA program works. He reads How it Works right from the book and elaborates on each section. Clarence also covers all Twelve Steps of the AA program.
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 66 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - ACCEPTS AWARD AS AA FOUNDER APRIL 1979
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
This is NOT an Alcoholics Anonymous talk by Clarence. This is a recording that was made by AA member Joe Hart in the central Florida area in early April of 1979. He made this recording as an historical record of Clarence Snyder accepting, "The Jefferson Award," as the "FOUNDER OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS." Clarence Snyder has always been a controversial figure in Alcoholics Anonymous and this recording indicates that this was true in central Florida in April 1979. This recording although short, is a thorough audio documentation of the order of events that led up to Clarence receiving the Jefferson Award. Many area AA member names are mentioned as having concern about Clarence maintaining his anonymity. Joe Hart clearly states that Clarence, "Accepted the Award as the Founder of AA." This recording also includes the April 10th, 1979 CBS channel 6 television broadcast of Clarence's comments on receiving the award. A very interesting recording.
Contents - 5 Tracks
Length - 13 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - ALEXANDRIA, VA 6-20-82
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence, a Cleveland, Ohio AA pioneer gave this AA talk at The Wilson Social Club in Alexandria, Virginia on June 20th, 1982. He was possibly the last of the AA members from the "Founders" era that was still alive when he gave this talk. There's a lot of AA history in this recording.
Contents - 15 Tracks
Length - 72 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - ATHENS, TN 1960
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence Snyder, "The Man Who Started Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland, Ohio'" recorded this early AA talk in Athens, Tennessee in 1960. At the time of this talk, he had moved to St Petersburg, Florida. He tells a good part of his story in this talk. Clarence says at one point in his drinking career, he became so unemployable that even his wife who was the head of the unemployment office could not get him a job. He ended up making his way to the waterfront in New York City where he lived drunk on the streets for quite some time. By the time he made his way back to Cleveland, his wife had heard of a doctor in Akron who could cure drunks. Clarence tells about his first meeting with Doctor Bob and how intimidated he was by him. He believes that once you have completed the first nine steps of the program, it is then necessary to continue to works steps ten, eleven, and twelve only because by then your drinking problem is over but you must maintain your spirituality. At the end of this talk, Clarence says, "I wish the best for every one of you. It's been a great pleasure being here. I hope someday we can get together again. C'mon down to Florida sometime. It's been a great pleasure on my first trip to Tennessee."
Contents - 14 Tracks
Length - 70 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - BLACKSTONE, VA 4-1-63
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence Snyder, the Cleveland, Ohio AA pioneer gave this AA talk at The Blackstone Retreat in Blackstone, Virginia on April 1st, 1963. Clarence formed the first AA group in Cleveland in 1939. He was sponsored by Dr Bob, and here he tells how Dr Bob twelfth stepped him in Akron City Hospital. He talks about his early sobriety, some of which qualifies as AA history. He tells how the Cleveland contingent of the Akron Oxford Group broke away because of its many Catholic members and the need for a group made up solely of alcoholics and their families. He talks about the steps and his straightforward and practical approach. Clarence has a confident sureness and direct approach to things. He believes in doing it and moving on to the next thing. He doesn't like to evade the heart of the matter. He tells us that there are things best not watered down. These are not quotes but they summarize Clarence's direct approach and unflinching style. This talk is informative, enjoyable and capable of holding a listener's interest. He has an honest and straightforward way of expressing his opinion and of clearing up some misconceptions that have crept into the fellowship.
Contents - 16 Tracks
Length - 79 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - CLEVELAND, OH 11-18-74
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence recorded this talk at the 35th Anniversary of the Borton Group in Cleveland, Ohio. The Borton group was the 2nd group to be formed in Cleveland. It was founded only after the "Abby Golrick" group and from it sprang many other Cleveland area groups which helped put Cleveland on the map in terms of rapid AA growth. In this talk, Clarence talks a lot about local Cleveland AA history. If you're curious about early group growth, the Plain Dealer Articles, the Crawford Men's group etc., Clarence talks about it here.
Contents - 16 Tracks
Length - 79 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - CLEVELAND, OH 1963
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk shortly after his 25th sober anniversary. He tells about how he was put in touch with AA after a series of special events. Clarence also talks about his early AA friend, Bill Van Horn, author of the Big Book Story, "A ward of the Probate Court." Clarence tells how he, at age 35 was the youngest guy to enter the AA program. He covers the AA steps and puts them into four categories; Admission, Submission, Restitution and Construction.
Contents - 14 Tracks
Length - 69 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - HAWAII - NOVEMBER 1980
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence Snyder, age 77 at the time, recorded this AA talk in November of1980 in Hawaii. On this recording, Clarence tells his story of drinking up to the point where he met Dr Bob and became associated with the Oxford Group. He wants to tell more of his story but his speaking time is limited. Clarence gives a very accurate description of the non-drinking alcoholics, "He is lonely, he is restless, etc." He jokingly talks about the way he is portrayed in the books, "Not God," and "Dr Bob and the Good Old timers," as having an "abrasive" personality. He then thoroughly talks about each of the twelve steps. Clarence asks his potential sponsees 20 questions that he uses to determine their character defects. Clarence is very firm in his belief that nobody should take their ninth step without the assistance of a sponsor. A good solid AA talk from an old timer.
Contents - 14 Tracks
Length - 70 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - LAKE BROWNWOOD, TX 9-15-62
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence was living in St Petersburg, Florida at the time of this talk. Clarence says that the first time that Dr Bob had taken him to T Henry Williams house for an Oxford Group meeting, he was "appraising" all of T Henry's valuables for the purpose of later stealing them. On this recording, Clarence also covers the steps very briefly. Overall this is a good, solid talk by Clarence.
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 65 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - LAUREL HILL, NC 5-6-60
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence Snyder, the Cleveland, Ohio AA pioneer gave this AA talk at the First Camp Monroe Retreat in Laurel Hill, North Carolina on May 6th, 1960. Clarence was 22 years sober at the time. On this recording Clarence tells his story. He talks about alcoholism, alcoholics, AA and recovery. Clarence also talks about the steps and addresses the topic of relapse. He is the keynote speaker at the opening of this retreat center and he is very spirited in his talk to a very enthusiastic crowd.
Contents - 13 Tracks
Length - 65 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - MARATHON INTERVIEW (6 CDs)
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
This interview was recorded at Clarence Snyder's home in Florida. This recording is Clarence just talking simply and frankly about the early days of Alcoholics Anonymous. He covers many, many, many topics in this recording that's nearly seven hours long. Just some of the varied topics Clarence covers are: His early childhood, The Oxford Group, Dr Bob, Sponsorship and meeting his third wife, Grace. At times there is quite a bit of background noise on this recording, the majority of it coming from wind chimes that are present throughout most of the recording, However, just about all of Clarence's words can still be understood.
Contents - 84 Total Tracks
Total Length - 6 Hours 42 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - MEMORIAL SERVICE 3-25-84
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
This is a unique recording. It was made within a few days of Clarence Snyder's death. It is a recording of Clarence Snyder's memorial service in which several of his friends and sponsees take turns memorializing him. The mood is obviously very somber and some excellent stories are told by the people eulogizing him.
Contents - 12 Tracks
Length - 56 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - OMAHA, NE 9-17-83 (2 CDs)
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence talks about many different topics on this double CD recording including: how he met his wife Grace, the six steps of the Oxford Group, Elrick Davis and the Plain Dealer articles, Deaconess Hospital in Cleveland, and Walter Bilestein and the Crawford Road Funeral Home. Clarence also talks about many men he sponsored that went on to start AA groups in other cities such as Atlanta and Houston. Clarence tells about the time that he and a couple other AAs made a twelfth step call on Father John Doe in Indianapolis. He gives some interesting information about Archie Trowbridge and Warren Chisholm. Clarence tells an extremely humorous story about a sponsee by the name of Kathryn. He talks about Sister Victorine who was the predecessor of Sister Ignatia at St Vincent Charity Hospital and Rosary Hall. Clarence sums up his talk by stating, "Twelfth Step work is our exercise, that's what makes us grow. If we deprive ourselves of that privilege and that opportunity we are cheating ourselves."
Contents - 26 Total Tracks
Total length - 131 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - TEXAS 2-10-63 (2 CDs)
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “HOME BREWMEISTER.”
Clarence recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at Top O Texas on February 10th, 1963, one day before his 25th AA anniversary. At the beginning of this talk, Clarence gives some interesting background information on one of his sponsees, Larry Jewel. Larry is the man who began AA in the state of Texas. Clarence has also brought a bunch of old AA memorabilia to this meeting and talks about each item briefly as he lays it out for people to see. He explains why he is not too fond of two things in the AA program; the line, "God as we Understand Him," and the whole idea of anonymity. Clarence gives a lot of detail about his first Oxford Group meetings at T Henry Williams house way back in 1938. Near the end of this talk, he goes over the twelve steps of AA as he understands them.
Contents - 18 Tracks
Total Length - 86 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - THE HISTORY OF AA 7-10-82 (2-CDs)
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence recorded this AA talk in Casselberry, Florida on July 10, 1982. Clarence almost single handedly began the Alcoholics Anonymous program in Cleveland, Ohio. His was the first group to break away from the Oxford Group of Akron, Ohio and began a meeting in Cleveland and called it ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS. Clarence is the author of the Big Book story titled The Home Brewmeister. In this talk Clarence tells us that he came into this program because of a series of miracles. He said he believes that nothing but a miracle could have gotten him into the AA fellowship and as he tells his story you’ll understand why he believes in that. Clarence tells of the time when he was in the hospital in Akron and a tall gentleman came in. He pointed his long bony finger at him and asked him if he believed in God. Clarence was offended by this question since God had nothing to do with his medical situation. That man with the bony finger turned out to be Dr Bob. Dr Bob ended up being Clarence's sponsor. Clarence goes on to tell about attending the Oxford Group meetings at T Henry Williams' home. He said he loved going over there because T Henry was a multi-millionaire and had an extremely nice home. The trip was an 80 mile round trip for Clarence from Cleveland to Akron and back but he still went every week. There came a time that Clarence announced to the Akron group that this was the last time the Cleveland contingent would come down here as a group. "We're starting our own group in Cleveland Heights, we are going to call it Alcoholics Anonymous, and the only people that can attend are alcoholics and their families." This caused a very big stir within the Akron group. The following Thursday, the entire Akron bunch descended on the new Cleveland meeting and literally had a small riot. That's how Alcoholics Anonymous began, as we know it today. Clarence goes on to share much, much more about the early days of the AA program. He gives quite a bit of detail about the spread of the fellowship into the Cleveland area.
Contents - 23 Tracks
Length - 116 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - TORONTO, CANADA 1965
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the Fourth International AA Convention in Toronto, Canada. Clarence, who lived in St Petersburg, Florida at the time, is introduced as the 40th member of AA. At the time of this talk, Clarence had 27 years of sobriety. At the beginning of this talk, Clarence pays homage to all the old-timers that are in attendance and acknowledges them by having them stand. He tells the story of how a bunch of unique circumstances, involving Bill Wilson's brother-in-law, Dr Leonard Strong came together to provide him his first contact with this new "cult" starting up in New York City and in Akron, Ohio that helps drunks recover. After being put into Akron City Hospital by Dr Bob, Clarence recalls how Paul Stanley, a Dr Bob sponsee came to talk with him and while there, "Ate his lunch." Clarence tells how Dr Bob, "forced" him to get on his knees right at the hospital bed and pray for the first time. Clarence also tells an absolutely hilarious story of a hopelessly drunken acquaintance of his in Cleveland by the name of Katherine who eventually became very successful after getting sober. He also tells about some very important words of wisdom given to him by fellow early AA member Bill Van Horn (author of the Big Book Story, "A Ward of the Probate Court"). This is one of the best talks Clarence Snyder ever recorded.
Contents - 6 Tracks
Length - 31 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - TRI STATE CANADIAN ASSMBLY 8-23-69
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence Snyder of St Petersburg, Florida recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk on August 23rd, 1969 at the Tri State Canadian Assembly. Charlie Sanders and Herschel Holland, two of Clarence’s “babies” say a few words about their sponsor before Clarence himself speaks. Clarence gives a very thorough history of how he got involved with AA and his first encounter with Dr Bob. He gives a very detailed description of the Oxford Group meetings at T Henry Williams’ house. Clarence also shares his very strong opinion on Anonymity. At the end of this recording, Clarence tells some good rummy stories that he’s found in the bible. All in all, this recording conveys the true essence of Clarence’s AA message.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 71 Minutes
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CLARENCE SNYDER - WISCONSIN 6-20-81 (2 CDS)
Clarence is the author of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Edition Big Book Story, "HOME BREWMEISTER."
Clarence Snyder resided in Casselberry, Florida when he recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk in Wisconsin on June 20th, 1981. You’ll like listening to this old timer speak. Clarence was among some of the first members of AA. In this talk he shares the experience he had with the Oxford Group and explains how AA evolved from them. Clarence tells how he came to meet Dr Bob. He gives some history of the original Akron group and how they worked with alcoholics. He talks about the Twelve Steps, how he works them, and how he believes they should be practiced. The best part is that, like a lot of old timers, he can’t resist telling you, “How it used to be.” Contents – 20 Total Tracks
Total Length – 98 Minutes
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COUNTESS FELICIA GIZYCKA - STARS DON'T FALL
Countess Felicia Gizycka is the author of the 2nd Edition Big Book Story, "STARS DON'T FALL."
We believe that this may be the only recording of Felicia. The date and location of this recording is not known but based on a comment made at the beginning of the recording, we believe that was made around 1989. Felicia was sober for 46 years at the time of this talk. On this relatively short recording, Felicia, from New York City, says that she went to a psychiatrist who told her about hearing of a man named, "Bill" speak to a group of psychiatrists about an alcoholism cure. The psychiatrist then gave her a copy of the AA Big Book. Felicia initially rejected the book but shortly afterward realized that she could not stop drinking. Her life consisted mainly of drinking in an 8th Street bar in Greenwich Village. She finally went to see Bill Wilson at the Vesey Street Clubhouse. Felicia was prepared for a lecture. Instead, Bill said something that made her feel very welcome. He said, "So, you think you're one of us?" She hadn't felt a part of anything for years, so this off-the-cuff comment by Bill made an extremely good first impression for Felicia. Bill sent her to Marty Mann who became her sponsor. This is a great, rare recording by someone that was around in the early days of AA.
Contents - 2 Tracks
Length - 10 Minutes
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DR EARL MARSH - JACKSONVILLE, FL AUGUST 1960
Dr Earl is the author of the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Edition Big Book Story, “PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF!”
Dr Marsh recorded this talk in Jacksonville, Florida in August of 1960. This recording is not a talk about his own recovery. Instead, Dr Earle talks about Alcoholics, Alcoholism and AA.
Contents – 16 Tracks
Length – 79 Minutes
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DR EARL MARSH - DOBBINS, CA JANUARY 1964
Dr Earl is the author of the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Edition Big Book Story, “PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF!”
This recording is also referred to as, “THE PIPELINE TALK.” This speech is basically about the psychological aspects of alcoholism. Dr Earl believes that all drunks are born with a direct pipeline to God. Later in life, when the alcoholic is exposed to alcohol, that direct pipeline becomes very clear and ultimately the most important thing in that individual’s life. A very interesting viewpoint on alcoholism.
Contents – 10 Tracks
Length – 47 Minutes
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DR EARL MARSH - KANSAS CITY, KS 5-25-91
Dr Earl is the author of the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Edition Big Book Story, “PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF!”
Dr Earl tells this AA story in 1991 at the age of 80. He had been sober for 38 years at that time. Doctor Earl tells us that both of his parents were alcoholics, although his father was a much heavier drinker than his mother. He also had a lot of alcoholism in his extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. From a genetic standpoint, he truly believes that this is an inherited disease. Doctor Earl did not suffer the losses that many alcoholics did. He was never in jail, never got arrested for drunk driving. He actually made more money in his last year of drinking than he had ever made before or since. At the age of 15 he and a friend wanted to find out what drinking was all about. They went to see the local bootlegger, Ma Matinelli, a “Great Big Fat Mama Mia with 8 or 9 children”. They bought 4 bottles of wine and Earl ended up drinking just about all of it himself. The spiritual experience that Doctor Earl eventually had was very similar to Bill Wilson’s. His experience was sudden and unexpected. He was at home pouring himself a drink and he felt a surge of pain “In every cell of his body,” and inside his head he heard the words, “This is your last drink.” Although he was wildly drunk, his thinking became very clear, and the compulsion to drink alcohol left him at that instant never to return again. Doctor Earl came into AA in 1953. He spent a lot of time staying with Bill and Lois Wilson at Stepping Stones, their home in Bedford Hills, New York. Bill Wilson once confided in Doctor Earl that even though he has been sober longer than anyone else in AA, he has never achieved much serenity. Doctor Earl then spent over three years in the Far East countries attempting to find his own serenity. He never really did find true serenity until the day he decided to stop looking for it. Doctor Earl Marsh died on January 13th, 2003. This is an amazing talk by a man who had been around AA for a long time.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 70 Minutes
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DR EARL MARSH - OKLAHOMA 6-7-59
Dr Earl is the author of the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Edition Big Book Story, “PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF!”.
This Alcoholics Anonymous talk was recorded by Dr Earl at the Oklahoma State Convention on June 7th, 1959. He begins this talk by saying that he wants to talk a little about his own drinking story but then he want to focus on the concept of becoming powerless over alcohol. Dr Earl goes on to give a very comprehensive lecture on the physical aspects of alcohol addiction. This is a different kind of talk from a man who understands alcoholism from more than just one point of view.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 72 Minutes
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DR EARL MARSH - PALM SPRINGS, CA 1964
Dr Earl is the author of the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Edition Big Book Story, “PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF!”
In this AA talk, Dr Earl combines his knowledge as a doctor and that of an alcoholic together and delivers a very unique perspective on the disease of alcoholism. He talks a lot about the “X factor” that only alcoholics seem to have. Earl explains that obesity and baldness is much lower in the alcoholic population than in the regular population. He says that only 3 percent of alcoholics are on skid row, which means the other 97 percent are in the general population. Dr Earl states that AA owes a large debt of gratitude to religion and the medical profession but then states that regardless of the amount of expertise these groups have, it’s only an alcoholic that can truly understand and eventually help another alcoholic.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 73 Minutes
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DR EARL MARSH - SAN DIEGO, CA JUNE 1995
Dr Earl is the author of the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Edition Big Book Story, “PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF!”
Dr Earl recorded this short but inspired Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the AA International Convention in San Diego, California in June of 1995. Dr Earl is almost 84 years old at the time of this talk and he says that his last drink was on June 15th, 1953. He used to hang out with Bill Wilson quite a bit and Earl tells a very funny story about the time that he put Bill on a high protein diet. Dr Earl talks about surrendering the ego and gives a great example of how that may come about. He also talks about the magical special connection between everybody in AA and that in itself is a spiritual experience.
Contents – 2 Tracks
Length – 11 Minutes
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DR EARL MARSH 9-19-54
Dr Earl is the author of the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Edition Big Book Story, “PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF!”
Dr Earl says he’s never been to jail. He’s never been in a hospital or his office while drunk. He tells about a very weird and strange experience he had while having his last drink. Dr Earl talks about the 12 steps of AA in a very comically sarcastic manner. He puts a very humorous spin on them. Dr Earl says, “This power that you possess which has given me a sense of hopefulness for the first time in my life and which is used for evermore, to me is the very essence of God.”
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 52 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - BRENTWOOD, CA 6-10-81
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
This story was renamed, “ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER” in the 4th Edition. At the time of this talk, Dr Paul and his wife, Maxine were married for 42 years. He says the marriage was good at first but it got worse as his wife went through the various stages of Alanonism. In an attempt to cure himself from alcoholism, Dr Paul took six different courses in hypnosis but that only made him a “Drunken Hypnotist.” Dr Paul says that nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. Tying in with his Big Book story, he talks quite a bit about acceptance of people, places and things just as they are. That is the key to serenity for him. This is another, inspiring AA talk by one of the funniest men in Alcoholics Anonymous. He wraps up by saying, “I’m very, very, very proud to be a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous. It gives me chills, and I thank you for that.”
Contents – 9 Tracks
Length – 42 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - BRYAN, TX AUGUST 1992
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
This story was renamed, “ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER” in the 4th Edition. Dr Paul begins this talk by stating that, “My name is Paul and I’m a full blown alcoholic.” At the time of this talk, Dr Paul was 25 years sober. After the audience applauds, he tells them, “Thank you but you’re no where near as impressed as I am.” He tells them that 25 years between drinks is a long time for him. Dr Paul uses an excellent analogy between getting sober and first base, second base, third base and home plate in a baseball diamond. He states at the end of his talk, “If you’re not enjoying your recovery, you’re not enjoying life and you’re probably not doing it right. Call your sponsor.”
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 64 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - EDMONTON - ALBERTA, CANADA
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
Dr Paul, humorous as usual, opens his talk with a lot of funny comments about the Al Anon program and its members. He says that he would keep coming to AA meetings even if it wasn’t keeping him sober because of what it’s done for his bashful bladder. His capacity for AA coffee isn’t any better than beer but his “AIM” has improved tremendously. Dr Paul says he was always very ethical, he never prescribed a pill for a patient that he hadn’t tried on himself first. While still in doubt about his own alcoholism, Dr Paul heard something early in his AA program that still affects him to this day – “I’d much rather be in AA by mistake than out there by mistake.” After being in Alcoholics Anonymous for a while, Dr Paul realized that staying sober was only a by-product of a bigger program. Dr Paul says that he doesn’t have to approve of life to accept life. At the end of this talk, Dr Paul says, “To be a sober member of AA is absolutely fantastic and I thank you for that.”
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length -68 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - EVERETT, WA 11-28-97
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
Dr Paul's story was renamed, “ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER” in the 4th Edition. Doctor Paul Ohliger is often called, the “Funniest Man in Alcoholics Anonymous,". Doctor Paul lived in California. In Addition to his Big Book story, he has also written a few complete books of his own. He’d been sober since July of 1967. Dr. Paul died on May 19th, 2000 but his great insight and dry humor live on in a series of Alcoholics Anonymous speeches he made throughout his later life. Dr Paul’s AA talks are kind of hard to describe. He definitely gets serious at times but for the most part his talks consist of short, very descriptive and humorous stories about his life. The crowd is almost continually laughing. He’s got a very meek sounding voice which makes his experiences that much funnier. Here are some of the things Dr Paul talks about. Thunderbird was his favorite white wine – Ripple was his favorite red wine. He’s just had his 30th sober anniversary. He said that’s the longest he’s ever gone without a drink. “If this keeps up I may just give up drinking.” Dr Paul ended up in the nut ward of the hospital where he was on the staff. He was once told by his sponsor that if he is distracted by people talking during a meeting, he has every right to ask them to kindly leave the room. Then he began to think. “I wonder if that will work with all the people in my head?” He tells the crowd that he’s glad they can’t hear what’s going on in his head because some of his thoughts are illegal and even more of them are lewd. Dr Paul goes on, in an extremely funny way, about all the voices in his head. He says that there is just one voice in his head that, no matter what his mood is, happy, sad, depressed, etc. this one voice’s answer is, “Let’s have a drink.” When that one voice would win out, all of the voices got drunk. He says that there is a place amidst all these voices that is always absolutely calm. That’s where his higher power is. That’s where his higher power has always been. We’ve heard a lot of AA speaker talks, but as far as making you crack up; Dr Paul has it down to a science.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 55 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - FORT WORTH, TX 4-4-90
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
This story was renamed, “ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER” in the 4th Edition. Dr. Paul recorded this AA talk at the 10th anniversary of The Legacy Group in Fort Worth, Texas on April 4th, 1990.
Contents – 13 Tracks
Length – 62 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - GEORGIA STATE CONFERENCE 8-11-77
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
This story was renamed, “ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER” in the 4th Edition. Dr. Paul recorded this Alcoholics Anonymous talk at the 24th Georgia State Conference on August 11, 1977. Dr Paul talks about many of the things that are in his Big Book story with some very interesting sidelights and amplifications. In a nutshell, this recording is Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict straight from the horse’s mouth with a side helping of other things not mentioned in the Big Book Story. The crowd he is speaking to is electric. Spirits were high and it must have been a very good meeting to have attended. He apparently really enjoyed speaking and the audience very much enjoyed listening. Dr Paul doesn't limit his talk to his drinking and drug use, he also talks about the concept of acceptance, and living life in sobriety. He tells some sobriety stories about becoming and then living sober. This recording contains a lot of good practical advice about living a sober life of recovery.
Contents – 11 Tracks
Length – 55 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - GRATITUDE ROUNDUP 11-25-95
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
This story was renamed, “ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER” in the 4th Edition. On this recording, Dr. Paul and his wife, Max talk about COMMUNICATION IN SOBER RELATIONSHIPS. This talk was recorded on November 25th, 1995. Max speaks first for about 10 minutes. She tells of the difficulty getting Paul to talk when he was drinking and drugging. Their communication eventually improved but some problems persisted. They eventually progressed to the point where they were able to talk about their feelings. Then Dr. Paul talks and he mentions that he and Max have been married 56 years and that he has been sober for 28 years. Dr. Paul introduces the idea that if one is not going to drink or divorce then one must work on the problems. He talks about how he and his wife are very different types of people in many ways and then tells some humorous stories about putting problems in proper perspective. He explains how he found many answers when he approached his relationship like a hobby. He read up on relationships and tried new ways of working on problems and doing things together. There is a question and answer session on this recording as well.
Contents – 15 Tracks
Length – 75 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - HOUSTON, TX NOVEMBER 1986
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
This story was renamed, “ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER” in the 4th Edition. Dr Paul recorded this talk at the 2nd Spirit of Houston Conference. In this talk he tells us that he has studied a lot of diseases but he finds the disease of alcoholism to be the most fascinating. Even more fascinating is the recovery from alcoholism. After people recover from this disease, Dr Paul says that in many, many instances they are actually better off than they were even before alcohol entered their lives. There are aspects of their lives that improve that have nothing at all to do with drinking. As usual Dr Paul puts his own very hilarious spin on his experiences and observations with the disease of alcoholism.
Contents – 16 Tracks
Length – 77 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - MEMORIAL SERVICE 6-24-00
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
This recording was made at the memorial service of Big Book Story author, Paul Ohliger. It was recorded at Laguna Presbyterian Church in Laguna Beach, California on June 24th, 2000. Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.” This story was renamed, “ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER” in the 4th Edition. A couple of the pastors of the church who knew Dr Paul speak briefly at the beginning. Among those that speak on this recording are: Dr Paul’s daughter - Paula, his sponsor, Dr Paul’s sponsee - Scott Redman, and Dr Paul’s wife – Max. Scott Redman’s tribute to Dr Paul is extremely touching. As the crowd is finishing with The Lord’s Prayer, a tape of Dr Paul begins to play. Excerpts from about three or four of Dr Paul’s speeches are played to finish out this recording.
Contents – 14 Tracks
Length – 70 Minutes
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DR PAUL OHLIGER - MESA, AZ 5-28-89
Dr Paul is the author of the 3rd Edition Big Book Story, “DOCTOR, ALCOHOLIC, ADDICT.”
This story was renamed, “ACCEPTANCE WAS THE ANSWER” in the 4th Edition. Dr Paul starts this talk by stating that he gets upset when his Al Anon wife speaks before him and tells her very perverted version of his story. He and his wife always bring their two Al Adogs with them on the road when they are traveling to meetings. Because it is the year of the 50th Anniversary of the AA Big Book, Dr Paul spends some time talking about when the book was written, alternative titles for the book and that type of thing. Dr Paul also tells his very funny story about giving women breast exams while under the influence. He also gives his views on sponsorship and how it should benefit the sponsor as much as the sponsee. He finishes his talk by saying, “I thank God for AA and I thank AA for my sobriety.”
Contents – 16 Tracks
Length – 78 Minutes
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