{"product_id":"1939-alcoholics-anonymous-big-book-first-edition-first-printing","title":"Alcoholics Anonymous — First Edition, First Printing — 1939","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOriginal Red Cloth Binding | Reproduction “Circus” Dust Jacket\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eOffered here is an authentic \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eFirst Edition, First Printing of Alcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/span\u003e, published by Works Publishing Company in April 1939.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eApproximately \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e4,650 copies\u003c\/span\u003e were produced in the initial printing of what would become known throughout the world as the \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eBig Book\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThis example retains its \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eoriginal 1939 red cloth binding\u003c\/span\u003e and is accompanied by a reproduction of the distinctive red-and-yellow First Printing dust jacket, commonly known among collectors as the \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e“Circus” jacket\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe 1939 First Printing\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eWhen \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e was published in 1939, the Fellowship itself was still in its infancy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe First Printing preserves the Big Book in its original form, before decades of subsequent printings, new editions, revised Personal Stories, and the enormous worldwide growth of Alcoholics Anonymous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eImportant First Printing identification points include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e1939\u003c\/span\u003e on the title and copyright pages with no subsequent printing indicated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eOriginal \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003ered cloth binding\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThe Doctor’s Opinion beginning on page 1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe well-known repeated-line printing error on \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003epage 234\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOriginal First Edition Personal Stories, including \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e“Lone Endeavor”\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003ePrinted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eCornwall Press, Cornwall, New York\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOriginal large-format design with wide margins\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThese features distinguish the April 1939 First Printing from every printing that followed. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOriginal 1939 Binding\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe book remains in its \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eoriginal red cloth boards\u003c\/span\u003e, with \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e stamped in gilt on the front cover and spine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe cloth shows considerable evidence of its more than 85 years of age and use, including staining and spotting to the boards, fading to the spine lettering, bumped corners, and wear and light fraying at the head and foot of the spine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThis copy is in \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eGood condition overall\u003c\/span\u003e, with wear consistent with an extensively used First Printing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003efront free endpaper is absent\u003c\/span\u003e. The remaining text block is complete and notably well preserved, with the interior considerably cleaner than the exterior boards. The binding remains sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eTwo period newspaper clippings concerning alcoholism were affixed to the rear pastedown by a previous owner and remain with the book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe accompanying red-and-yellow \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e“Circus” dust jacket is a modern reproduction and is not original to the book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ePlease review all photographs carefully for the most accurate representation of condition. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBook Details\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p4\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTitle:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e Works Publishing Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublication:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e April 1939\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eEdition:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e First Edition\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePrinting:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e First Printing\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePrinting Quantity:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e Approximately 4,650 copies\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e Cornwall Press, Cornwall, New York\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e Original red cloth hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDust Jacket:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e Reproduction First Printing “Circus” jacket\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e Good\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eText Block:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e Complete\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFront Free Endpaper:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e Absent\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCollector Significance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e1939 First Edition, First Printing\u003c\/span\u003e represents the beginning of the published history of \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eIssued when A.A. was still a small and developing Fellowship, these approximately 4,650 books introduced the program and the experiences of its earliest members to a wider audience. Every subsequent Big Book printing and edition traces its history back to this original publication.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eDespite the exterior wear and absent front free endpaper, this example retains two of the things that matter most in a First Printing: its \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eoriginal 1939 binding and complete original text block\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eFor the collector of Alcoholics Anonymous history, the 1939 First Printing remains the cornerstone of a Big Book collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Recovery Collectibles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67632898932978,"sku":null,"price":12500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0328\/4625\/0120\/files\/F3B1DE6E-DE63-4CAE-9F63-C1B2689DB6BF.jpg?v=1763751070","url":"https:\/\/recoverycollectibles.com\/products\/1939-alcoholics-anonymous-big-book-first-edition-first-printing","provider":"Recovery Collectibles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}