A.A. History-A.A Founding Brief # 3

By A.A. History Author Dick B.

Historians, A.A. Scholars, A.A. Researchers, A.A. Members, and 12 Steppers in recovery need a brief, book by book, subject by subject resource to which they may turn for accurate, well-researched, well-documented historian facts by the leading "unofficial" A.A. Historian today; and we will mention a few separately and briefly.

Anne Smith's Journal 1933-1939: A.A.'s Principles of Success. by Dick B.
www.dickb.com/annesm.shtml

A.A. Brief # 3 - A.A. Co-founder Dr. Bob's wife (Anne Ripley Smith)was known as the "Mother of A.A." and as one of the founders of A.A.'s Christian Fellowship, Akron Number One--the first A.A. group. For reasons seemingly inexplicable, both A.A. literature and those who write about A.A. History just don't pay attention to Dr. Bob's wife. Yet she was the wife of the co-founder of A.A., the mother of two children, an indispensable part of the A.A. recovery program which took place in the Smith Home in Akron, served as cook, nurse, counselor, evangelist, teacher, and recorder in writing of the A.A. program details long before there was any A.A. literature. Her writing, in her journal, which she kept and shared from 1933-1939, covers every aspect of the A.A. recovery program--the Bible, Quiet Time, the Four Absolutes, the Oxford Group life-changing program that became incorporated in the Big Book in 1939, surrenders, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and recommended literature that early AAs read. If one wishes to learn what early AAs were hearing in their meetings, fellowship, group, and group Quiet Time, there is no more authentic nor complete set of details than those found in "Anne Smith's Journal 1933-1939.

But you will look and listen far and wide in today's A.A. literature and meetings, and virtually never hear of Anne, her service, her journal, and her teachings--of Bob, Bill W., early AAs and their families.
AAs know lots about Bill Wilson.
www.dickb.com/titles.shtml