Alcoholics Anonymous First Edition 6th Printing from 1944 with ODJ

Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book

First Edition — Sixth Printing (June 1944)

Original Dust Jacket Present

Publisher: Works Publishing, Inc.
Publication Date: June 1944
Edition: First Edition, Sixth Printing
Print Run: 5,000 copies
Binding: Navy blue cloth hardcover
Dust Jacket: Original (worn)

Description

Offered here is an authentic First Edition, Sixth Printing (June 1944) of Alcoholics Anonymous, commonly known as the Big Book. With only 5,000 copies printed, the Sixth Printing is among the scarcer First Edition printings and represents an important transitional moment in early A.A. publishing history.

This printing is notable for being the first First Edition issued exclusively in navy blue cloth, a color that would continue through the remainder of First Edition printings. Earlier printings appeared in multiple board colors, including red, light blue, and other variants.

The Sixth Printing also reflects a subtle physical change in production. While still considered a true “Big” Big Book, it is slightly thinner than the first five printings due to changes in paper stock. The overall size remained consistent through the Sixth and Seventh Printings before shrinking significantly with the wartime Eighth Printing in 1945.

Key Identifying Points

First Edition, Sixth Printing (June 1944)

• 5,000-copy print run

• Navy blue cloth boards (first printing to use this color exclusively)

• Pre-wartime size (larger than the 8th Printing)

• Page 391 titled “Now We Are Ten Thousand”

• Original dust jacket present

Condition

Book: Good condition overall. The navy blue cloth boards show visible wear and staining consistent with age. The spine is solid and fully intact, though the gilt lettering has faded. A bookplate sticker is affixed to the inside of the front cover, and there is handwriting on the first blank page. No additional writing or markings are present. Binding remains sound with no loose or missing pages.

Dust Jacket: Original dust jacket present and complete but in worn condition. The jacket shows staining, edge wear, tears, and losses, including small portions missing from the spine and front panel. Despite the wear, the presence of the original jacket significantly enhances the book’s collectibility.

Please review all photos carefully for exact condition details.

Historical & Collector Significance

The Sixth Printing occupies a key position in the evolution of the First Edition Big Book:

• Marks the transition to a standardized navy blue binding

• Printed during the rapid wartime growth of A.A.

• Scarcer than later First Edition printings

• Increasingly difficult to find with an original dust jacket, even in worn condition

For collectors of early A.A. literature, recovery history, or First Edition Big Books, this copy represents a solid and authentic example of an early printing of the First Edition.

A genuine First Edition Sixth Printing Big Book with its original dust jacket — an increasingly scarce survivor from Alcoholics Anonymous’ formative years.