HISTORY This Week

Bill W.'s Last Drink and the Birth of Alcoholics Anonymous


Listen Later

December 11, 1934. Bill Wilson is on the subway, working his way through his third beer, heading to Towns Hospital. He isn’t injured, and he isn’t what would be traditionally classified as “sick.” But he knows he has a problem. And he needs help.

What he doesn't know as he arrives at the hospital – with a fourth bottle of beer in his hand – is that this will be the last sip of alcohol of his life. And when he's discharged from Towns, he won't be returning. Instead, he'll go on to start the most successful alcohol treatment program in history.

How did Bill W. finally kick his addiction to alcohol? And how did his journey toward sobriety lead to the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous?

Special thanks to Bill Schaberg, author of Writing the Big Book: The Creation of AA.

To stay updated: historythisweekpodcast.com

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

HISTORY This WeekBy The HISTORY® Channel | Back Pocket Studios

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

3,975 ratings


More shows like HISTORY This Week

View all
Stuff You Should Know by iHeartPodcasts

Stuff You Should Know

77,648 Listeners

Stuff You Missed in History Class by iHeartPodcasts

Stuff You Missed in History Class

23,750 Listeners

This American President by This American President

This American President

735 Listeners

History Unplugged Podcast by History Unplugged

History Unplugged Podcast

3,992 Listeners

History That Doesn't Suck by Prof. Greg Jackson

History That Doesn't Suck

5,731 Listeners

American History Tellers by Wondery

American History Tellers

18,988 Listeners

American Scandal by Wondery

American Scandal

18,911 Listeners

This Day in History by The HISTORY Channel

This Day in History

253 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

15,977 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

2,993 Listeners

Everything Everywhere Daily by Gary Arndt | Glassbox Media

Everything Everywhere Daily

1,979 Listeners

The Food That Built America by The HISTORY® Channel

The Food That Built America

711 Listeners

Short History Of... by NOISER

Short History Of...

2,615 Listeners

History Daily by Airship | Noiser | Wondery

History Daily

2,016 Listeners

American History Hit by History Hit

American History Hit

1,398 Listeners