Alcoholics Anonymous 1943–1944 Early Pamphlet — Complete Set of Six Variants
Alcoholics Anonymous 1943–1944 Early Pamphlet — Complete Set of Six Variants
Published by Works Publishing, Inc. and The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc. | New York, 1943–1944
A meticulously documented and exceedingly rare complete set of six variant printings of one of Alcoholics Anonymous’s earliest pamphlets—issued between 1943 and 1944 under the evolving imprints of Works Publishing, Inc. and The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc.
These pamphlets offer an unparalleled glimpse into the formative years of A.A. literature, when the Fellowship was scarcely eight years old and its New York office was still experimenting with publisher identities, mailing addresses, and production formats while establishing a coherent publishing and distribution presence.
Historical Context
Printed just four years after the publication of the Big Book (1939), these pamphlets emerged during A.A.’s early national growth and of organizational formation. Produced and circulated by The Alcoholic Foundation—A.A.’s earliest service entity—they served as the Fellowship’s primary outreach literature, mailed to prospects, distributed at meetings, and sent to physicians, clergy, and hospitals.
Each pamphlet contains foundational program writings and excerpts from the Big Book, including “The Doctor’s Nightmare,” “The European Drinker,” and “Bill’s Story,” along with explanatory essays such as “Medicine, Religion, and Alcoholics Anonymous.” Also included is Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick’s landmark 1939 review of A.A., a piece that conferred early legitimacy and broadened public understanding of the new movement.
Notably the story “Women Suffer Too” by Marty Mann is included in these pamphlets. Her story was not added to the Big Book until 12 years later with the release of the Second Edition in 1955.
Together, these six sequential variants trace the evolution of A.A.’s first standardized literature—from its initial Works Publishing imprint through the Alcoholic Foundation editions, culminating in the 1944 “Magazine Articles” issues that signaled A.A.’s growing public and media recognition.
Variant Overview (Set of Six Distinct States):
Variant 1 — Works Publishing, Inc. | Copyright The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc. | No Price
Front Cover: Displays the boxed title “A.A.” printed in black ink with balanced margins and clean framing lines.
Imprint line reads:
An A.A. Publication
Published by WORKS PUBLISHING, INC.
P.O. Box 459 (Grand Central Annex), New York 17, N.Y.
Copyright Page: Contains both the early Purpose and Opinion statements, followed by:
Copyright 1943 by The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc.
Printed in U.S.A.
*No printed price.
Back Cover: Completely blank.
Condition Notes: Overall Very Good + example showing even age toning typical of early-1940s stock. Staples remain secure with only minor surface oxidation and no rust bleed.
Bibliographic Note: This is the earliest recorded form of the pamphlet, identifiable by its Works Publishing, Inc. imprint, absence of any stated price, and the inclusion of the dual “Purpose” and “Opinion” statements on the copyright page. This is the only issue done by Works Publishing, Inc. as all of the other variants are solely published by The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc.
Variant 2 — The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc. | Price Five Cents
Front Cover: Features the boxed “A.A.” title printed in black ink.
Imprint line reads:
An A.A. Publication
Published by THE ALCOHOLIC FOUNDATION, INC.
P.O. Box 459 (Grand Central Annex), New York 17, N.Y.
Copyright Page: Includes the Purpose and Opinion statements followed by:
Copyright 1943 by The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc.
Printed in U.S.A.
(Price Five Cents)
Back Cover: Blank.
Condition Notes: Overall Very Good condition. Light, even toning to covers and interior typical of mid-1940s paper stock. Front and back cover show’s water staining visible.
Bibliographic Note: This is the earliest “priced” issue of the 1943 A.A. pamphlet, marking the transition from the Works Publishing, Inc. imprint to The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc. as official publisher. The addition of the “(Price Five Cents)” line reflects the Fellowship’s first move toward standardized literature distribution and modest cost recovery for printed materials. Scarcer than later Alcoholic Foundation printings and an important bridge between the earliest Works Publishing variant and the later reformatted 1944 issues.
Variant 3 — The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc. | No “An A.A. Publication” Line
Front Cover: Boxed “A.A.” title printed in black ink.
Imprint line at the bottom reads:
Published by THE ALCOHOLIC FOUNDATION, INC.
P.O. Box 459 (Grand Central Annex), New York 17, N.Y.
Copyright Page: Retains the Purpose and Opinion statements, followed by:
Copyright 1943 by The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc.
Printed in U.S.A.
Back Cover: Blank.
Condition Notes: Overall Very Good condition with uniform age toning throughout. Some minor staining and creases to the cover.
Bibliographic Note: This variant marks a significant transitional stage in the pamphlet’s publication history. The removal of the phrase “An A.A. Publication” from the front cover reflects a subtle but intentional shift in how Alcoholics Anonymous presented itself — away from a “publication” identity toward that of a service body disseminating information. This design also precedes the addition of the back-cover “Magazine Article List,” placing it squarely between the early Works Publishing/Alcoholic Foundation hybrids and the later public-facing printings of 1944.
Variant 4 — The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc. | Added Magazine Article List
Front Cover: Boxed “A.A.” title in black ink.
Imprint line at bottom reads:
Published by THE ALCOHOLIC FOUNDATION, INC.
P.O. Box 459 (Grand Central Annex), New York 17, N.Y.
This copy bears a contemporary pencil note on the front cover (“Sent for book 7-2-45 / 35¢ ck. enclosed”), likely indicating early correspondence with the Alcoholic Foundation.
Copyright Page: Simplified layout with Copyright 1943 by The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc. and Printed in U.S.A. — notably omits the earlier Purpose and Opinion statements seen in previous variants.
Back Cover: Now features a “MAGAZINE ARTICLES” bibliography, listing major national publications that covered Alcoholics Anonymous between 1939 and 1943, including Liberty, Newsweek, The Saturday Evening Post, Harper’s, and America (Catholic).
Condition Notes: Overall Very Good– condition, complete and well-preserved. Front cover shows penciled notation clean and legible. Some wear with creases and folds to the page corners.
Bibliographic Note: This variant marks the first documented appearance of the “Magazine Articles” back cover, a new bibliographic feature introduced by The Alcoholic Foundation to showcase growing media attention toward Alcoholics Anonymous. By citing prominent medical, religious, and general-interest periodicals (1939–1943), this version reflects the organization’s increasing national credibility and effort to publicly contextualize its mission. The absence of the earlier Purpose and Opinion statements underscores a broader editorial shift from internal Fellowship messaging toward outward communication and public education.
Variant 5 — January 1944 | P.O. Box 658 (Church Street) | Missing “, Inc.”
Front Cover: Boxed “A.A.” title printed in black ink with the addition of a printed date line:
January 1944
Imprint line at bottom reads:
Published by THE ALCOHOLIC FOUNDATION
P.O. Box 658 (Church Street), New York 7, N.Y.
This is the only known variant omitting the “, Inc.” after The Alcoholic Foundation and showing the temporary change of address from the Grand Central Annex to Church Street — an important detail marking a brief office relocation.
Copyright Page:
Copyright 1943 by The Alcoholic Foundation
Printed in U.S.A.
No “Purpose” or “Opinion” statements appear on this issue.
Back Cover: Carries the “MAGAZINE ARTICLES” bibliography first introduced in Variant 4, listing national press coverage of Alcoholics Anonymous from 1939–1943. This copy shows stamps from a previous owner of this pamphlet from Cuyahoga County.
Condition Notes: Overall Good to Very Good condition, complete and structurally sound. The cover shows staining and stamps on the back cover.
Bibliographic Note: This January 1944 edition represents a distinct transitional imprint in A.A. publishing history. During this period, The Alcoholic Foundation temporarily shifted the mailing address to Church Street — reflected in the new P.O. Box and the omission of “Inc.”, likely due to a typesetting or administrative simplification during wartime. Its dated cover is unique among early variants, helping scholars trace A.A.’s evolving literature distribution between late 1943 and fall 1944.
Variant 6 — September 1944 | The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc. | Magazine Article List
Front Cover: Boxed “A.A.” title printed in black ink with the printed date line:
September 1944
Imprint line at bottom reads:
Published by THE ALCOHOLIC FOUNDATION, INC.
P.O. Box 459 (Grand Central Annex), New York 17, N.Y.
This example bears a local group overprint in blue ink:
For further information
Address A.A. DELTA GROUP
P.O. Box 5565
Dallas 2, Texas
Such regional imprints were often applied by local groups during the 1940s for outreach and literature distribution, making each copy uniquely traceable to its area fellowship.
Copyright Page:
Copyright 1943 by The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc.
Printed in U.S.A.
Back Cover: Features the same “MAGAZINE ARTICLES” bibliography introduced in the preceding variant, citing national and denominational press coverage from 1939–1943.
Condition Notes: Overall Fair to Good condition, complete and legible despite notable age wear. Front cover: shows dark water staining and moderate wrinkling from damp exposure; general toning consistent with age. Back cover: stains and dark moisture marks. Otherwise intact with clear text. Interior: paper toned and somewhat wavy; several small edge tears and chips along inner margin from moisture; faint mildew spotting but no loss of text. Spine: staples rusted with resulting staining, yet binding remains firm. A complete survivor of this fragile, heavily circulated 1944 edition, notable for its regional imprint and historical significance.
Bibliographic Note: This September 1944 issue represents the final iteration of the early Alcoholic Foundation “A.A.” pamphlet series. The reintroduction of the Grand Central Annex address signals the occurrence of the Church Street address as the only time used. The addition of group-specific overprints—such as this A.A. Delta Group, Dallas example—reflects A.A.’s rapid regional expansion during the mid-1940s, as local groups began distributing official literature independently.
This variant effectively concludes the 1943–1944 line of early A.A. promotional pamphlets, preceding the more formalized literature program developed by the G.S.O. in subsequent years.
Significance
A fully documented progression of A.A.’s earliest print evolution (1943–1944). Demonstrates the organizational transition from Works Publishing, Inc. to The Alcoholic Foundation as A.A.’s service structure matured. The presence or absence of pricing, imprint language, and address details reflects shifts in both publication control and public communication strategy. Sets of all six variants are exceptionally rare; most institutions and collectors possess one or two examples at best.
Publication Details
Title: Alcoholics Anonymous Early Pamphlet
Publisher: Works Publishing, Inc. / The Alcoholic Foundation, Inc.
Location: New York, N.Y.
Dates: 1943–1944
Format: Stapled pamphlets
Complete Chapter Index of these pamphlets:
Alcoholics Anonymous - Page 1
Am I An Alcoholic? - Page 3
The Doctor's Nightmare - Page 5
The European Drinker - Page 9
Women Suffer Too - Page 12
Bill's Story - Page 17
Medicine, Religion and Alcoholics Anonymous - Page 22
The Twelve Steps - Page 25
Our Friends Say - Page 26
Book Review by Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick - Page 28
Magazine Article List (Appearing on Variants 4–6)
A fascinating bibliographic record of A.A.’s early media presence, listing coverage in Liberty, The Journal Lancet, Newsweek, Saturday Evening Post, Harpers, and many others (1939–1943).
MAGAZINE ARTICLES
Almost every newspaper in the United States has carried articles about Alcoholics Anonymous. Many periodicals of national circulation have done likewise. We list a few of them:
The Journal Lancet - July, 1939
Liberty - September 30, 1939
Christian Leader - October 7, 1939
Zion Herald (Methodist) -November 15, 1939
Friends Intelligencer - November 18, 1939
The Baptist Record - December 23, 1939
Newsweek - February 19, 1940
Your Life - April, 1940
The News Letter-American Association of Psychiatric Workers - Autumn, 1940
Church School (Methodist) - December, 1940
Saturday Evening Post - March 1, 1941
Newsweek - March 3, 1941
The Living Church (Episcopal) - March 12, 1941
The Little Chronicle - April, 1941
Christian Herald - July, 1941
Medical Record - August 6, 1941
Physical Culture - September, 1941
Harpers - September, 1941
Christian Advocate (Methodist) - November 20, 1941
America (Catholic) - December 6, 1941
New York State Medical Journal - December 15, 1941
The Woman - September, 1942
The Houghton Line - January, 1943
Catholic Digest - May, July, 1943
American Weekly - July 11-18, 1943
Collector’s Summary
A once-in-a-generation offering: all six recorded states of the 1943 Alcoholics Anonymous outreach pamphlet, fully collated and documented.
Together they chart the earliest evolution of A.A.’s publishing history, reflecting how a small fellowship formalized its message, identity, and presence in the world.
An essential reference set for the advanced A.A. collector, archivist, or institutional recovery literature collection.
