Alcoholics Anonymous — First Edition, Sixth Printing (June 1944) — Original Dust Jacket
Offered here is a handsome First Edition, Sixth Printing of Alcoholics Anonymous, published in June 1944—one of approximately 5,000 copies printed. This example combines an attractive navy-blue cloth binding, bright gilt spine lettering and a well-presented interior with its original red-and-yellow dust jacket, protected in a Brodart cover.
For an A.A. member or collector, an early Big Book offers a tangible connection to the Fellowship’s beginnings: familiar words of recovery encountered in the same First Edition format that carried the message to readers more than eighty years ago.
One of Approximately 5,000 Copies
The Sixth Printing was issued just five years after the Big Book’s first publication in April 1939. Its run of approximately 5,000 copies places it within the early, small-run period of A.A. publishing. The copyright page identifies this volume as “Sixth Printing, June, 1944,” and the title page bears the Works Publishing Company imprint.
This printing also retains the larger format associated with the first seven printings. Beginning with the Eighth Printing in 1945, the book appeared in a smaller format. Those physical differences are part of the appeal of an early First Edition: its proportions, cloth binding and original jacket convey a distinct period in the Big Book’s history.
The Big Book in the Fellowship’s Early Years
Published during the Second World War, this volume belongs to a time when A.A. was still developing the ways it would share experience and maintain connections between members and groups. June 1944 was also the month the first Grapevine appeared, another lasting expression of that desire to carry the message.
Inside are the foundations that remain familiar to generations of A.A. members, including “The Doctor’s Opinion,” “Bill’s Story” and “How It Works,” together with the First Edition’s early personal stories. The story section would be substantially revised and expanded for the Second Edition in 1955. Reading an original First Edition brings the voices of that earlier Fellowship into view alongside the recovery program that continues to connect readers today.
This Copy and Its Original Jacket
The navy-blue cloth presents especially well, with clear blind-stamped lettering on the front board and bright gold lettering on the spine. The photographed text pages have a clean, appealing appearance. The original jacket retains its recognizable red, yellow and black design and is supplied in a protective Brodart cover, giving the book a striking presence on the shelf or in a display collection.
Publication Details
- Title: Alcoholics Anonymous
- Edition and printing: First Edition, Sixth Printing, June 1944
- Print run: Approximately 5,000 copies
- Publisher: Works Publishing Company, New York
- Printer: The Cornwall Press, Cornwall, New York; printed in the United States
- Binding: Navy-blue cloth hardcover with gilt spine lettering
- Dust jacket: Original, with protective Brodart cover included
Condition
Book: An attractive example with light rubbing and wear at the corners and spine ends. A previous-owner property and address notation appears inside the front cover. The endpapers show age toning, staining and discoloration near the inner hinge, with scattered spotting visible on some photographed leaves. The photographed text pages show no prominent annotations.
Original dust jacket: Edge wear, creasing, tears and chips are present, with areas of loss along the upper front edge, corners and spine ends. The jacket is protected in the included Brodart cover. Please review the photographs, including the full jacket spread at the end of the gallery, for this copy’s condition.
Explore First Edition Big Book History
Every First Edition printing captures a different stage in the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. For an illustrated reference to the printings, binding variations, original dust jackets and identification points, explore our Collector’s Guide to First Edition Big Books.
For the broader story of how the book evolved alongside the Fellowship, read The First Edition Big Book: A Printing-by-Printing History (1939–1954) in our Historical Reference Center.
