Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age — First Edition, First Printing (1957) Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc.
Offered here is a 1957 First Edition, First Printing of Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, published by Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. and retaining its original dust jacket.
The copyright page is correctly marked:
FIRST EDITION H-G
identifying this as the original 1957 printing of one of the most important historical works published by Alcoholics Anonymous.
This is the Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. issue, produced for distribution through the Fellowship itself. At the same time, Harper & Brothers handled a separate commercial issue intended for bookstores and other non-A.A. outlets, creating two distinctly different presentations of the same landmark book.
For collectors, the A.A. Publishing and Harper editions make a particularly interesting pair.
The Story of A.A. “Coming of Age”
Published in 1957, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age tells the story of the Fellowship’s development from its earliest years through the historic 1955 St. Louis Convention, when Alcoholics Anonymous formally assumed responsibility for its own world services.
That event gave the book its title.
“Coming of age” did not mean that A.A. believed it had reached some final state of maturity. Rather, it marked the point when the Fellowship accepted responsibility for its own future and the continuing stewardship of its service structure.
The book traces the development of A.A.’s Three Legacies:
Recovery — Unity — Service
It also preserves the perspectives of several important friends of Alcoholics Anonymous, including:
- Dr. Harry M. Tiebout
- Dr. W. W. Bauer
- Father Edward Dowling, S.J.
- Rev. Samuel Shoemaker
- Bernard B. Smith
Together, their contributions provide an unusual firsthand look at the medical, religious, professional, and organizational relationships that helped shape Alcoholics Anonymous during its formative years.
The Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing Issue
This copy is the A.A. Publishing version of the 1957 First Printing.
Several features identify this issue:
- Title page reading Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc., New York
- Early A.A. circle-and-triangle emblem on the title page
- Copyright page marked “FIRST EDITION H-G”
- Blue boards with a black cloth spine
- Gold spine lettering identifying A.A. Publishing Inc.
- Original blue, purple, and white dust jacket
- Original jacket price of $4.00
The A.A. Publishing issue differs noticeably from the Harper version, which used a different binding, different jacket colors, the Harper imprint, and a separate commercial presentation.
Together, the two versions document how A.A. was simultaneously publishing for its own Fellowship while reaching a wider outside audience through Harper & Brothers.
Condition
This copy retains its original 1957 Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. dust jacket.
The jacket shows noticeable age and wear, including rubbing, soiling, edge wear, small chips and short tears, creasing, and scattered staining. There is heavier wear along the folds, edges, corners, and spine ends. Despite the wear, the jacket remains substantially complete and retains the distinctive blue-and-purple striped design and early A.A. imagery.
The blue boards remain attractive overall, with light surface wear and some rubbing along the edges and corners. The black cloth spine remains intact, and the gold lettering is clearly readable.
The front pastedown contains a previous owner’s handwritten address and notation. There is also a vertical area of discoloration near the gutter. The front free endpaper appears to be absent. The rear endpapers show general age toning.
The interior pages show normal age toning but appear generally clean in the photographs. The title and copyright pages remain clearly legible, including the important H-G First Edition designation.
The binding appears sound.
Please review all photographs carefully for the exact condition of this copy.
A Foundational Work in A.A. History
Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age occupies a special place in recovery literature.
Where the Big Book presented the program of recovery and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions explored the principles behind personal recovery and group unity, A.A. Comes of Age documented the development of the Fellowship itself—how it grew, organized, survived, and ultimately accepted responsibility for its own future.
This 1957 A.A. Publishing First Printing, complete with its original dust jacket and H-G First Edition designation, is an important early collectible and a particularly meaningful companion to the much scarcer Harper & Brothers issue.
