Given up for adoption by his 17-year-old mother, Paul B. still describes his childhood as idyllic. Growing up on a rural English farm where beer and alcohol were a normal part of every day life, any alcoholism that Paul perceived in his family had little effect on his upbringing. In fact, his own drinking didn’t influence his behavior until his years at Oxford University where he rapidly became part of its rarified drinking culture. Finding everything he needed in a bottle or pint, Paul’s propensity for managing his alcohol consumption belied his occasional binges and blackouts. For years after college, his professional and personal lives co-existed with his growing misuse and abuse of alcohol, Though he escaped many of the negative consequences experienced by many alcoholics, Paul’s increased drinking fueled the disease that brought wreckage to his marriage and family life, and impending damage to his career. No amount of self-management could slow the downward progression of his alcoholism. Paul was forced to give up. Fortunately, he found AA before it was too late, and set upon a coarse of continuous sobriety. That was more than seven years ago and today Paul gratefully stays the course through regular meetings, good sponsorship, daily reading AA literature, prayer, and being of service to his sponsees and AA community.

I believe you’ll find Paul’s story to be both inspiring and encouraging. It touches all the bases of a well-worked Program and provides a helpful context within which you may discover many similarities to your own story. So sitback and enjoy the next 60 minutes with my friend and AA brother, Paul B.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “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.

 I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, 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.

[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.]