Alcoholics Anonymous — Second Edition, Sixth Printing — 1963
Original Dust Jacket | Early Second Edition Big Book
Offered here is a Second Edition, Sixth Printing (1963) of Alcoholics Anonymous, the foundational text of the Fellowship commonly known as the Big Book. Published by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., this copy retains its original blue dust jacket.
The Sixth Printing appeared during an important period in the growth of Alcoholics Anonymous, just eight years after the introduction of the Second Edition in 1955.
When the original Big Book was published in 1939, A.A. consisted of fewer than one hundred members. By 1955, the Fellowship had grown to more than 150,000 members, with thousands of groups established throughout the United States and internationally.
The Second Edition reflected this remarkable expansion. While preserving the original program of recovery contained in the first 164 pages, the revised book introduced a new Foreword, expanded historical material, and a substantially revised collection of personal recovery stories.
Published in 1963, this Sixth Printing represents an early stage in the Second Edition’s publication history, as Alcoholics Anonymous continued to expand its membership and reach around the world.
An Original 1963 Dust Jacket
An important feature of this copy is its original dark blue dust jacket, retaining the familiar cream-colored lettering and circle-and-triangle emblem associated with the Second Edition Big Books.
The jacket bears the printing code 50M–6/63(C), identifying its production in June 1963 and corresponding with the book’s Sixth Printing.
Like other Second Edition jackets, it includes an interesting feature intended to protect the anonymity of its owner. Readers were encouraged to turn the jacket inside out when carrying the book publicly, concealing its identifying cover.
This thoughtful design reflects the importance of personal anonymity within A.A.’s traditions and remains a distinctive feature of early Big Book dust jackets.
Book Details
Title: Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism
Publisher: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., New York
Edition: Second Edition, New and Revised
Printing: Sixth Printing
Year: 1963
Printer: The Cornwall Press, Inc., Cornwall, New York
Binding: Original blue cloth hardcover with gilt spine lettering and blind-stamped front cover
Dust Jacket: Original dark blue Second Edition dust jacket
Jacket Code: 50M–6/63(C)
Condition
Very good hardcover with a worn original dust jacket.
The original blue cloth boards are well preserved, showing minimal handling wear. The gilt spine lettering remains attractive, and the binding is tight.
The original dust jacket shows more substantial age-related wear, including rubbing, creasing, tears, and chipping along the upper edges and spine. There are areas of paper loss, particularly near the top of the jacket and spine. Despite this wear, the jacket remains largely intact, with its original design and lettering clearly visible.
There is handwriting on the inside front cover. The remaining interior pages are clean and well preserved, with no other markings noted in the original description.
Please review all photographs carefully for the exact condition.
Collector Significance
The early printings of the Second Edition Big Book document an important period in Alcoholics Anonymous history, when the Fellowship was becoming firmly established as an international organization.
This 1963 Sixth Printing, accompanied by its original dust jacket, offers collectors an attractive example from the early years of the Second Edition.
The well-preserved hardcover and surviving original jacket make this a desirable addition to a collection of Alcoholics Anonymous Big Books and recovery history.
