{"product_id":"aa-first-edition-fourteenth-printing-1951-original-jacket-nov7-2026","title":"Alcoholics Anonymous — First Edition, Fourteenth Printing (July 1951) — Original Dust Jacket","description":"\u003cp\u003eOffered here is a handsome \u003cstrong\u003eFirst Edition, Fourteenth Printing of \u003cem\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/em\u003e, published in July 1951\u003c\/strong\u003e, with its \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal red-and-yellow dust jacket\u003c\/strong\u003e. The navy-blue cloth, gilt spine lettering and distinctive jacket give this copy the unmistakable appearance of an original First Edition Big Book—a lasting connection to the Fellowship’s early history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Big Book as A.A. Came of Age\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy 1951, twelve years had passed since the Big Book first appeared in April 1939. What began as a book sharing the experience of a small fellowship had become the foundational text of a growing movement. That same year, A.A.’s first General Service Conference met, an important step toward placing responsibility for the Fellowship’s services in the hands of its members.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Fourteenth Printing belongs to this period of growth and increasing maturity. It also marks the end of a chapter in the book’s own publishing history: \u003cstrong\u003eit was the final First Edition printing issued under the Works Publishing imprint\u003c\/strong\u003e. The Fifteenth and Sixteenth Printings, both issued in 1954, would bear the name Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. The Works Publishing, Inc. imprint on this copy’s title page places it within that earlier publishing era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Voices of the First Edition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis volume preserves the First Edition’s recovery text and early personal-story selection before the expanded Second Edition appeared in 1955. Familiar chapters such as “Bill’s Story,” “We Agnostics” and “How It Works” sit alongside the experiences of the early members whose stories helped other alcoholics recognize themselves and find hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe photographed membership update, headed “Now We Are Thousands,” provides another connection to that history. Across the First Edition period, these updates recorded the Fellowship’s expanding reach. In a period copy, the words encountered in meetings and personal reading today remain connected to the people and circumstances from which they emerged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor an A.A. member building a recovery library, this is part of the pleasure of owning an original First Edition: the familiar message is present in a book that was already carrying it to readers in the early 1950s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThis Copy and Its Original Jacket\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe navy cloth presents attractively, with clear blind-stamped lettering on the front board and visible gilt lettering on the spine. The photographed interior pages have a clean, appealing appearance. Its original jacket retains the bold red, yellow and black design that makes these early Big Books so recognizable, giving the volume a distinctive presence on a bookshelf or in a display collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePublication Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Alcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdition and printing:\u003c\/strong\u003e First Edition, Fourteenth Printing, July 1951\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e Works Publishing, Inc., New York City\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Cornwall Press, Cornwall, New York; printed in the United States\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBinding:\u003c\/strong\u003e Navy-blue cloth hardcover with gilt spine lettering\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDust jacket:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original red-and-yellow jacket\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook:\u003c\/strong\u003e The cloth shows light rubbing and wear at the corners, edges and spine ends. The endpapers and preliminary leaves have age toning and pale spotting. The photographed text pages show no prominent handwriting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal dust jacket:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rubbing, creasing and edge tears are present, with small chips and losses at the corners and spine ends and wear along the upper front edge. Please review the photographs, including the full jacket spread at the end of the gallery, for this copy’s condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eExplore First Edition Big Book History\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor an illustrated reference to the printings, binding variations, original dust jackets and identification points, explore our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/recoverycollectibles.com\/pages\/first-edition-big-book-collectors-guide\"\u003eCollector’s Guide to First Edition Big Books\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the broader story of how the book evolved alongside the Fellowship, read \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/recoverycollectibles.com\/blogs\/historical-reference-center\/the-first-edition-big-book-a-printing-by-printing-history-1939-1954\"\u003eThe First Edition Big Book: A Printing-by-Printing History (1939–1954)\u003c\/a\u003e in our Historical Reference Center.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Recovery Collectibles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":69129865134322,"sku":null,"price":1295.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0328\/4625\/0120\/files\/01-aa-first-edition-fourteenth-printing-1951-original-jacket-IMG_1120.jpg?v=1794040207","url":"https:\/\/recoverycollectibles.com\/products\/aa-first-edition-fourteenth-printing-1951-original-jacket-nov7-2026","provider":"Recovery Collectibles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}