{"product_id":"alcoholics-anonymous-second-edition-fourth-printing-1960","title":"Alcoholics Anonymous — Second Edition, Fourth Printing — 1960","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOriginal Dust Jacket | Early Second Edition Big Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eOffered here is a \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSecond Edition, Fourth Printing (1960)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e of \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, the foundational text of the Fellowship commonly known as the Big Book. This copy retains its original blue dust jacket and is an early printing of the Second Edition, first introduced in 1955.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe Second Edition marked an important milestone in Alcoholics Anonymous history. When the original Big Book was published in 1939, A.A. was a small fellowship with fewer than one hundred members. By 1955, membership had grown to more than 150,000, and the Fellowship had established groups throughout the United States and internationally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe revised edition preserved the original basic text while expanding the collection of personal recovery stories to reflect A.A.’s growth and changing membership.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ePublished in 1960, this Fourth Printing appeared during another period of rapid expansion. A footnote in the Foreword records that A.A. had grown to more than 8,000 groups in over 80 countries, with an estimated membership of 300,000.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBook Details\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTitle:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., New York\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eEdition:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Second Edition, New and Revised\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePrinting:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e Fourth Printing\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eYear:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e 1960\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Original blue cloth hardcover with gilt spine lettering\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDust Jacket:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Original blue Second Edition dust jacket\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e The Cornwall Press, Inc., Cornwall, New York\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe copyright page explicitly identifies this copy as the \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eFourth Printing, 1960\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe original dust jacket retains the early Second Edition design, with gold lettering and the circle-and-triangle emblem. Its front flap describes the revised edition and the Fellowship’s growth, while the rear flap includes information about the book and its publication.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThis book is in \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003egood condition overall\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, with more substantial wear to the original dust jacket.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe blue cloth covers show general rubbing, handling wear, and discoloration, including noticeable fading and light staining along the upper edges and spine ends. The gilt spine lettering remains clear and attractive. The binding appears intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe original dust jacket shows considerable age-related wear, including rubbing, scuffing, edge and corner wear, small tears, and areas of paper loss. There is more pronounced wear around the spine ends and along the upper and lower edges. The jacket remains substantially complete, retaining its original front and rear flaps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe interior pages show age toning, with noticeable darkening to the page edges. The front free endpaper contains handwritten pencil notations, including a reference to the edition and printing, along with an older price notation. There is also discoloration and staining to the front endpapers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe pages shown remain legible and generally well preserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ePlease review all photographs carefully for the exact condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCollector Significance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe early printings of the Second Edition Big Book document a significant period in the growth of Alcoholics Anonymous, when the Fellowship was expanding rapidly across the United States and around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThis \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e1960 Fourth Printing\u003c\/span\u003e, accompanied by its original dust jacket, represents an appealing example from the first five years of the Second Edition’s publication.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eA desirable addition to a collection of early Alcoholics Anonymous Big Books and recovery history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Recovery Collectibles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67658757505266,"sku":null,"price":350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0328\/4625\/0120\/files\/787C2522-94CC-44AF-BFF4-E1767C1A618B.jpg?v=1791480256","url":"https:\/\/recoverycollectibles.com\/products\/alcoholics-anonymous-second-edition-fourth-printing-1960","provider":"Recovery Collectibles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}