Alcoholics Anonymous Extremely RARE First Edition 7th Printing Big Book from 1945 - RDJ

Alcoholics Anonymous

First Edition — Seventh Printing (January 1945)

The Rare Wartime Printing Error Big Book
With Reproduction Dust Jacket

Description

This is an original First Edition, Seventh Printing of Alcoholics Anonymous, printed in January 1945—widely regarded as the rarest Big Book printing to locate today. Very few copies were produced, and the exact number printed remains unknown.

This printing occupies a unique and short-lived moment in AA publishing history and is notable for a wartime production error that caused it to be withdrawn almost immediately.

Why the Seventh Printing Is So Rare

In early 1945, due to World War II government restrictions, AA planned to reduce the physical size of the Big Book to conserve materials. The Seventh Printing was intended to be the first of these “wartime printings.”

Inside the book is a printed disclaimer explaining the reduced-size wartime format—however, despite this notice, a printing error occurred, and the books were produced at the same full size as the Sixth Printing.

Once this mistake was discovered, printing was immediately halted and a corrected, smaller-format Eighth Printing was rushed into production and released just one month later in February 1945.

This has made the Seventh Printing the most elusive First Edition Big Book.

Key Identifying Characteristics

• First Edition, Seventh Printing
• January 1945 publication
• Full-size format (incorrect for intended wartime printing)

• Internal wartime disclaimer present

Condition

Overall condition: Fair. Cloth boards show some wear with marks and stains. Binding has been repaired with new pages adhered to the inside of the front and back boards. The book pages have been trimmed around the edges. Repairs have been made to the Title/Copyright page. This book appears to have been a former library book based on the stamp dated “Apr. 21 ‘45” stamp on the Contents page. No other markings, writing, or underlining inside the book.

This copy includes a reproduction dust jacket.

Please review all photographs carefully to assess exact condition details.

Collector Significance

Even in modest condition, the Seventh Printing First Edition Big Book is considered a top-tier AA rarity due to its scarcity and unusual production history. Copies appear far less frequently than earlier First Edition printings and are often held permanently in private or institutional collections.

This book represents a documented wartime publishing anomaly, a fleeting moment in AA’s growth during World War II, and one of the most difficult Big Books for collectors to obtain.

An essential cornerstone piece for AA collections, archives, or historical libraries.