Inscribed by Dr. Bob - Little Red Book First Printing
This is a very special and unique piece of AA History inscribed by AA cofounder Dr. Bob Smith. This book was originally given by author Ed Webster to Dr. Bob to have as his own copy of the book! Dr. Bob later gifted this book to a friend with the inscription on the title page that reads:
“Best wishes for continued success. Dr. Bob”
A.A. urban legends credit Dr. Bob Smith with having a hand in the writing of this book, but there is no contemporary evidence to support this contention. What is known for certain is that the book was a favorite among Ohio A.A. members once it was released and it continues to be an excellent introduction to effectively working the Twelve Steps - suitable for both newcomers and oldtimers.
An Interpretation Of The Twelve Steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous Program
Besides the AA Big Book, this was the very first and only other book published at the time that was about the AA program. This book gained popularity in the AA community and took on the nickname “The Little Red Book”.
This book was printed by Coll-Webb Company. This is the very First printing from 1946! You can verify it’s authenticity as a first printing by checking the year of publication markings on the title page, and August 1946 on the copyright page. Also, all of the first printings were printed with the wrong P.O. Box number on the title page and were crossed out with pen and the correct box number was handwritten on the page.
The book was nicknamed “The Little Red Book,” and eventually adopted that name in later printings of the book which started in 1949.
The author of this book, Ed Webster, got sober in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1941. He and Barry Collins formed their own publishing company, called Coll-Webb Co. which distributed The Little Red Book and others to members of AA until Ed's death in 1971.
Conditions:
The original publisher's burgundy pebbled cloth binding with no printing whatsoever on the exterior of the book. There is just the most minor of wear to the covers. The front inside hinge has been professionally reinforced. Other than Dr. Bob's inscription there is no writing whatsoever in this book.
A clean, tight, bright copy of a difficult book to find even without the inscription, but to find this copy that was one of Dr. Bob’s possessions, Bob's message of hope and his signature make this a truly rare find and a singular contribution to any substantive collection of A.A materials.
With this book, you will receive documentation that reveals some of the history behind this particular book as well as the evolution of the Little Red Book!