AA Recovery Interviews

Originally from New England, but having lived in Great Britain for many years, Margie has over 45 years of sobriety. Having faced countless obstacles to getting to AA and subsequent challenges to sobriety during her 4 decades in the Program, Margie has remained as passionate and committed to the AA as one can be. In all those years, the longest she’s ever gone without a meeting was 10 days (during the birth of her children). The simple Program she was first told to follow by the “frigging old dudes”, as she describes them, is the same version of Alcoholics Anonymous she has embraced over these many years. It’s also the same program she has freely given to others through frequent sponsorship and a wide variety of service commitments she has fulfilled since getting to AA in the fall of 1979.

As you listen to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews, take note of Margie’s good humor and enthusiasm for Alcoholics Anonymous, and her non-stop work in the Program, and you will learn exactly how someone can put together so many years of sobriety. And whether you’ve been sober a long time or a short time, whether you’re brand new or have returned to AA after a relapse, Margie’s message of hope, faith, and trust is one you can take to the bank, that spiritual bank that is. And whether you’re listening while you’re driving, multi-tasking, or relaxing with your feet up, please enjoy the next hour, one minute at a time, with my special guest Margie D.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

[This is an encore of Episode 7, originally released January 16, 2021].

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Mike's qualification for AA was honed by years of alcohol and drug abuse. Like so many others in our Program, Mike’s experience with alcohol started as a young teenager who drank to overcome feelings of being “less than”, despite his being raised by his grandparents in a strict, but loving home. Mike’s grandfather was the local Baptist minister. Any abhorrent behavior Mike engaged in was quickly and harshly dealt with, thus maintaining Mike’s dutiful position as the pastor’s son (grandson). Of course, Mike continued to drink throughout high school and later during his job as a machinist. Finding that his acumen for fixing machinery meant good earnings and steady employment, he kept up his alcohol consumption. But Mike’s ability to function at his job, despite heavy drinking evenings and weekends, only delayed the inevitable confrontation with his worsening disease of alcoholism. Adding crack cocaine to the mix only accelerated the deterioration of his career, marriage, and personal relations. Facing the grim realities of his situation and a bottom that likely would have turned deadly, Mike had a moment of clarity and was able to check himself into an in-patient rehab facility. He emerged ninety days later as a beaten, but newly teachable, man who was ready to continue the AA meetings he’d experienced in the three months of rehab. Finding an AA club and sponsor, Mike attended as many as three meetings a day and worked the 12 Steps with enthusiasm. He got involved in service work and sponsorship along the way and today is the product of 34 years of continuous sobriety.

Mike is one of those people who demonstrates gratitude and humility as a steady member of Alcoholics Anonymous. I think you’ll find his story to be both inspirational and encouraging. So please enjoy listening for the next sixty minutes to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my good friend and AA brother, Mike J.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book Podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Mike's qualification for AA was honed by years of alcohol and drug abuse. Like so many others in our Program, Mike’s experience with alcohol started as a young teenager who drank to overcome feelings of being “less than”, despite his being raised by his grandparents in a strict, but loving home. Mike’s grandfather was the local Baptist minister. Any abhorrent behavior Mike engaged in was quickly and harshly dealt with, thus maintaining Mike’s dutiful position as the pastor’s son (grandson). Of course, Mike continued to drink throughout high school and later during his job as a machinist. Finding that his acumen for fixing machinery meant good earnings and steady employment, he kept up his alcohol consumption. But Mike’s ability to function at his job, despite heavy drinking evenings and weekends, only delayed the inevitable confrontation with his worsening disease of alcoholism. Adding crack cocaine to the mix only accelerated the deterioration of his career, marriage, and personal relations. Facing the grim realities of his situation and a bottom that likely would have turned deadly, Mike had a moment of clarity and was able to check himself into an in-patient rehab facility. He emerged ninety days later as a beaten, but newly teachable, man who was ready to continue the AA meetings he’d experienced in the three months of rehab. Finding an AA club and sponsor, Mike attended as many as three meetings a day and worked the 12 Steps with enthusiasm. He got involved in service work and sponsorship along the way and today is the product of 34 years of continuous sobriety.

Mike is one of those people who demonstrates gratitude and humility as a steady member of Alcoholics Anonymous. I think you’ll find his story to be both inspirational and encouraging. So please enjoy listening for the next sixty minutes to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my good friend and AA brother, Mike J.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book Podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Laura B. got sober at age 17 after 4 years of intensively developing her alcoholism into qualification for AA. In that first meeting, she picked up a desire chip that initiated her 37 years of sobriety as an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous. A compelling aspect of Laura’s story is that her father was in AA and her mother was in Al-Anon. They used the tools of their respective Programs to effectively deal with Laura’s alcoholism, neither preaching nor trying to cajole Laura into quitting. They allowed her to ride her own disease to the bottom and, when she was finally done drinking, helped her get into inpatient treatment followed by AA. From the minute she first joined AA, Laura embraced the Program, learning from older members how to live a sober life to the fullest. Though a move to a west Texas town in the early years of her sobriety disrupted the quantity and continuity of her meetings, Laura persevered and kept her Program front and center in her life. She worked hard to hone her relationships with members of her AA community. The indispensable value of AA fellowship was demonstrated after Laura’s father committed suicide (linked to his battle with clinical depression). Laura was enveloped in the same loving support she had been showing others. Meanwhile, the tragic occurrence of her father’s death gave Laura pause to understand the differences between the alcoholism her father recovered from in AA and the disease of clinical depression that AA could not address. Laura continues her passionate commitment to share her understanding with others. Back living in Austin, Laura is very active in sponsorship and service to this day.

Laura’s willingness to share her story has been a fine gift to me and I’m thrilled to share it with you. It’s a story that’s both inspirational and intriguing. And though Zoom audio was somewhat lackluster the day we taped this, the content is still top-drawer. So, please enjoy the next 60 minutes with my friend and AA sister, Laura B.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book Podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

As the frontman for a British band that was among the vanguard of punk rock in the late 1970s, my guest, David P., rode the New Wave of that musical genre as both writer and performer. Like many rock stars, his alcohol and drug use preceded, then accompanied his career. Both in good times and bad, David’s life was soaked with the same booze and cocaine that went with him when he moved from England to California. Failed relationships, both personal and professional, became consequential in David’s world as he struggled to maintain functionality in his life. But, like many, being a functional alcoholic still meant living as an alcoholic. As the disease stripped away every meaningful aspect of his life, David’s inevitable bottom rapidly approached. By the time he got sober 37 years ago, Alcoholics Anonymous became David’s sole refuge and the solid ground he so desperately needed to re-build his life. In the process of stacking his sober years, David’s involvement in AA has remained both dedicated and continuous, especially during the three decades he spent in service to the hospital and institutions committees. With every visit to a prison or hospital, David continued to build the vast amount of spiritual capital he would need in his later battles with lung cancer and other serious illnesses. While demonstrating both the nature and value of service work to his fellow AA members, he found himself enfolded in the healing love and support of his Program fellows.

David’s courage and optimism are proof-positive that AA really can help us through even the toughest of times. I think you will find the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews to be both captivating and inspirational. So please enjoy this interview with my friend and AA brother, David P.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book Podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

When he started making the coffee, his life got better.... Thirteen years ago, Dale started attending one of my home groups, a men’s meeting that I’ve been going to for over 33 years. Since he first stepped into that meeting, his service to the group and individual men has solidified his spot in the middle of our herd. In fact, he says it was when he started making and serving coffee in the meeting that his life began getting better. Strong testimony from a man whose drinking was fueled by the adolescent trauma he suffered when he found his father’s body immediately after he’d committed suicide. Though he knew what he’d seen, an iron-clad family secret grew out of that tragic event and he spent many years drinking to dull the pain. Like many of us, Dale managed to function with his escalating disease, finishing college and law school, before launching a successful law practice. And though he might have noticed his own heavy drinking over the years, it was his wife’s alcoholism that created the most strife in their family. But things got bad enough that she stopped drinking via AA 22 years before he did. Ironically, Dale accompanied his sober wife to many AA related functions over the years and even got to know her AA friends and sponsor quite well. But despite his own worsening alcoholism, the attraction to AA didn’t occur until late in his 50’s when the alcohol damage to his heart resulted in triple by-pass surgery. While he didn’t stop drinking after the surgery, his looming bottom was clearly in sight. So with his wife’s help, Dale finally found AA at 59 and has been sober since then.

Dale’s story is remarkable in many ways, not the least of which is the impact that service work can have on the continued durability of one’s sobriety. His solid practice of sponsoring other men while cultivating close personal relationships in AA, has served Dale well. His daily prayer, readings, and meetings have both strengthened and enriched his Program, while providing a fine example of what it takes to stay in the protective middle of AA.

I think you’ll enjoy my interview with Dale, and find it both informative and touching. So lend us your ears for the next hour and 5 minutes while you enjoy this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my fine friend and AA brother, Dale C.

[This is an encore of Episode 73, originally released April 13, 2022].

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

A tough upbringing punctuated by violence and abuse led to Aileen's early use of drugs and alcohol just to survive home life. Her difficult and dangerous relationships in adulthood were mired by alcoholism of one or both parties. Self-loathing and despair, with ideations of suicide, haunted her at every turn. Indeed, Aileen’s story looked hopeless. In the end, it took in-patient mental health treatment, private therapy, and the guidance of good mentor to guide Aileen into a variety of 12-step programs, including AA. Even then, she slipped after being sober 15 months, but came back in just a couple of weeks. Thoroughly beaten by the disease, she came back to AA in early 2009 and finally got down to seriously working the Program with a good sponsor.

Like my other guests, Aileen’s story is cautionary, but quite hopeful for anyone facing the kind of  challenges she faced and overcame. Today, she demonstrates her commitment to staying sober by virtue of the service she does with the women that she sponsors. Her dedication to AA can also be seen in role as secretary of the meeting in which we first met. What’s more, Aileen practices the principles of the Program in her own community by staying actively involved with organizations that address the myriad of mental health issues facing women in need. The importance of Aileen’s story cannot be understated. In this 30th interview of my podcast series, I invite you open your mind and heart for the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my new friend and AA sister, Aileen C.

[This is an encore of Episode 30, originally released June 9, 2021].

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

At age 82, Boots had lived most of his life as a moderate or normal drinker, only to find out in his late 50s that his drinking was getting out of control. By the time his family staged an intervention when he was 60, Boots had become a full-blown alcoholic with all of the collateral damage that drinking inflicts upon the unsuspecting. Boots spent four months at an inpatient treatment center face-to-face with his disease and quickly developed an earnest desire to get sober. Fortunately, the precepts of AA were woven into the treatment protocol of the recovery center, so Boots did not have to rely solely upon intellectual constructs to stay sober. AA meetings inside plus rapid exposure to the Program after he got out of treatment allowed for a seamless transition into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Boots came all the way in and sat all the way down, found a good sponsor, and worked the 12 Steps. Over the 22 years Boots has stayed sober, he has faced and surmounted many serious challenges, including cancer. But he has maintained a staunch belief that God’s will is at work in his life. During that same period of time, he has experienced many of the joys of sobriety, including his own son’s nine years in AA. Boots has staked his ground in the middle of the AA herd and delights in going to regular meetings and sponsoring men in the Program.

Boots’ story is a fascinating perspective into what it’s like to live most of one’s life without the scourge of alcoholism. But it’s also cautionary tale of just how patient the disease can be and how it can be the wrecker of lives regardless of age. So please enjoy the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my close friend and AA brother, Boots G.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book Podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

On today’s episode, my guest Karen W. shares a chilling story that every long-term alcoholic needs to hear. It’s a story about alcoholism’s insidious ability to derail 28 years of sobriety into a seven-year relapse that nearly ended in suicide. Karen somehow survived that slip to achieve three years of sobriety as of the date of this interview. Her chaotic life of alcoholism and drug addiction started in high school and culminated in her banishment from the family and a hard collision with reality at age 21. Karen found herself in a rehab facility where she experienced sobriety for the first time in many years and her introduction to Alcoholics Anonymous. For the next three decades she was a mostly active member of the fellowship, though sobriety slowly started to lose its priority over the years. Surrounding herself with the trappings of a successful life, she gradually lost sight of the importance of AA and started to attend fewer and fewer meetings and distanced herself from the fellowship. By the time she slipped at age 50, her relapse was much worse than the life she escaped when she first got sober. For the next seven years, Karen’s experienced inevitable deterioration of her life. She  told her family she no longer wanted to live. That desperate cry for help marked her re-entrance into the rooms and a newfound desire to get and stay sober. Since that day in May 2021, Karen has humbled herself to the realization that she simple cannot live without AA. Nor does she want to. That she survived to make it back to AA is nothing short of a miracle.

I believe you’ll find Karen’s story to unlike any you’ve heard, especially if you’ve ever wondered whether long-term sobriety can be sustained with fewer meetings and less involvement in the Program. Hers is a story chock-full with lessons of how to do and how not to do a strong AA program. So please enjoy the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA sister, Karen W.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book Podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Originally from Detroit, Robert grew up in what many would consider to be a “normal’ family in which alcohol and dysfunctional behavior were largely absent. Nonetheless, Robert found alcohol at 16 and was immediately lured to its magical properties that relieved much of the anxiety and loneliness he experienced during his teenage years. Though he made it through high school and later college with few consequences from his mostly social drinking, his early twenties were marked by increasing use and then misuse of alcohol. As he became addicted to alcohol, with all its consequences, Robert rapidly found that drinking was controlling more and more of his life. Feelings of loneliness, isolation, and self-recrimination were no longer quelled by alcohol. By his late twenties, he found himself in psychotherapy, dealing with the same issues that were exacerbated by his drinking. By the time he stepped into AA at age 29, Robert had had enough.

Robert was fortunate to find a strong AA group and a guiding sponsor who helped him work the steps and immersed him in service work to stay firmly planted in the Program. Over the years, he has been a trusted servant to his AA fellowship and a true friend to his peers. His willingness to help those in need has made him indispensable member of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I consider it a blessing to attend 2-3 meetings a week with Robert. I value his friendship and believe you will find his words both uplifting and inspiring. So, please enjoy the next hour with my AA brother, Robert B.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book Podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]