First Edition package of 3 books: 2nd, 5th, & 8th Printing
Rare Set of Three First Edition Alcoholics Anonymous Big Books
2nd, 5th & 8th Printings (1941–1945) with Replica Covers & Reproduction Dust Jackets
This unique offering brings together three rare First Edition printings of Alcoholics Anonymous, the foundational text of the AA fellowship. Each volume has been preserved with replica cloth bindings and reproduction dust jackets, ensuring the survival of these important historical books while remaining accessible to collectors and historians alike.
Book One: Second Printing (March 1941)
Condition: Fair to good. Replica red cloth cover, pages show wear, markings, and library stamps. Binding intact and tight.
Historical Significance: Released simultaneously with Jack Alexander’s landmark Saturday Evening Post article (March 1, 1941) that fueled AA’s explosive growth from 2,000 to over 8,000 members in a year. First printing to introduce major textual changes: “Spiritual Experience” → “Spiritual Awakening” in the 12th Step. Appendix II (“Spiritual Experience”) added. Story “Lone Endeavor” removed and replaced with “Now We Are Two Thousand.” Bound in three possible colors originally (Light Blue, Navy, and a small number in leftover Red cloth from the first printing in 1939).
Book Two: Fifth Printing (January 1944)
Condition: Fair to good. Replica navy blue cloth cover (originals bound in light blue). Pages show wear, liquid staining, and owner markings. Binding tight.
Historical Significance: Printed in a run of 5,000 copies. Page 391 updated to “Now We Are Ten Thousand.” Last of the true “Big” Big Books — subsequent printings used thinner paper and slightly smaller dimensions.
Book Three: Eighth Printing (February 1945)
Condition: Fair to good. Replica navy blue cloth cover with reproduction dust jacket. Pages show normal age wear, binding tight and intact.
Historical Significance: Known as the true “wartime printing.” A corrected reissue following the flawed Seventh Printing of January 1945. Reduced in size and weight under U.S. Government regulations to save paper during WWII. Features the front notice: “This is a war time printing and is complete and unabridged in contents.”
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This trio of First Edition Big Books captures a crucial period in AA’s early history — from the explosive growth following national publicity (1941) through the wartime adaptations of the fellowship’s literature (1945). Together, these books document AA’s rapid expansion, evolving text, and the practical realities of publishing in the 1940s.
