Alcoholics Anonymous — The Big Book
Third Edition, First Printing (March 1976)
With Original Dust Jacket
Publisher: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Publication Date: March 1976
Dust Jacket Code: 150M–4/76(A)
Description
Offered here is an authentic First Printing of the Third Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, published in March 1976 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., and complete with its original dust jacket.
The Third Edition marked a major milestone in A.A. history. Released at a time when worldwide membership had surpassed one million, this edition reflected the Fellowship’s dramatic growth and expanding diversity. While the core text (pages 1–164) remained unchanged from the original 1939 First Edition—preserving A.A.’s foundational message—the personal stories section was substantially revised.
This edition introduced forty-four personal stories, including thirteen new accounts, offering a broader and more representative picture of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous during the 1970s.
The First Printing of the Third Edition is identified by the dust jacket code “150M–4/76(A)”, printed on the bottom of the back flap—present on this copy.
Edition Details
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Third Edition, First Printing
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Published March 1976
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Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
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Navy blue cloth boards with gilt spine lettering
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Original dust jacket present
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Dust jacket code: 150M–4/76(A)
Condition
Book: Very good — minimal wear; clean pages; no writing or markings; binding tight.
Dust Jacket: Fair — shows wear and tears, stains, and rubbing. Original jacket has been placed over a reproduction jacket and protected from further damage in plastic cover.
Please review all photographs carefully for exact condition details.
Collector Significance
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First Printing of the Third Edition
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Issued during a pivotal period of explosive A.A. growth
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Retains the original 1939 core text
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Identifiable first-printing dust jacket code present
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Increasingly collectible with original jacket intact
A solid and historically meaningful example of a Third Edition First Printing, ideal for collectors of A.A. literature, recovery history enthusiasts, or anyone seeking a well-documented copy from this important transitional era in Alcoholics Anonymous publishing.
- Historic Feature: Early coverage of Alcoholics Anonymous in a major national magazine.
- Rockefeller Connection: Details the crucial dinner that helped establish A.A.’s legitimacy.
- Early A.A. History: Documents the fellowship just five years after its founding.
- Condition: Well-preserved copy, good overall with only wear to front cover.
This issue is a historically significant artifact, capturing the moment Alcoholics Anonymous first entered the public spotlight, an event that shaped the fellowship’s future growth into a worldwide movement.
