Sober Friends

E112: Pt 2 of 2 - The Story of Writing the Big Book Is More Amazing Than You Ever Knew With Bill Schaberg, Author of Writing the Big Book


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Bill Schaberg has arguably written the definitive history of how the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous was written.  Bill produced “Writing The Big Book,”  and his wife calls it, “the other big book,” because it’s 650 pages, before the appendixes. Bill completed the book after 7 years of research from the source material.  Bill is a rare book collector and seller and it all started with his purchase of Jim Burwell’s copy of the multilith copy of the original Big Book.    

In Part 2 of the interview with Bill Schaberg, we discuss:

  • What really happened when Ebby Thatcher visited Bill Wilson (The Kitchen Table Story)
  • The problem with most AA history
  • The many stories Bill told on how the steps were written
  • Who really wrote, “To Wives,” and the urban legends about this chapter
  • Hank Parkhurt’s role in writing the Big Book and his later resentment of Bill Wilson

Check out Bill Schaberg's site writingthebigbook.com where you can pick up his book, Writing the Big Book.

Learn more about Hank Parkhurst at hankparkhurst.com


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