“WITH… ALL MY AFFECTION AND GREAT APPRECIATION OF WHAT YOU DID TO MAKE THIS BOOK WHAT IT IS. DEVOTEDLY, BILL”: ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, WARMLY INSCRIBED BY AA FOUNDER BILL WILSON AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT

[WILSON, Bill]. Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism. New York: Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, circa 1955. Octavo, original blue cloth, original dust jacket.    $9500.

The important second edition of the “Big Book”—the indispensable text for the life-changing, worldwide addiction recovery movement—fondly inscribed by “Bill W.” himself, “To - - - -With this, all my affection and great appreciation of what you did to make this book what it is. Devotedly, Bill. BH/Xmas, 55.”

This significant second edition retains the basic text from the first edition but also expands on the introductory material, presenting a historical sketch of A.A., and includes a number of new personal stories “to meet the needs of an A.A. membership grown from 100 to more than 150,000.” “BH” in the inscription refers to Bedford Hills, where Wilson lived. First published in 1939. First printing, first state of the second edition, with “realy” on page xx and “6000” on page 16.

Book fine, dust jacket spine with shallow chipping to ends, rubbing to extremities. A near-fine copy.