Alcoholics Anonymous UK First Edition 5th Printing from 1956 - Great Britain

Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book - First Edition, Fifth Printing Great Britain, 1956

Distributed by The World's Work (1913) Ltd, Kingswood Surrey, on behalf of,
Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc., New York, and Alanon Publications, BM/Found. London W C I.

“Printed And Bound In England By Hazell Watson And Viney LTD Aylesbury And London".

The book is from 1956 but has no publication date noted on the title page or anywhere else in the book. This is the last printing of the First Edition published in the United Kingdom. This printing occurred after the Second Edition Big Books were released in July 1955 in the United States.

The following text was added in this book at the bottom of the Foreword:

“In arranging for the re-printing of this book for distribution in the Sterling Area, we acknowledge with extreme gratitude the tremendous help we have received from the American Co-Founders, the Alcoholic Foundation and the General Service Head Quarters of New York; firstly in giving us permission to re-print and then for their cheerfully given encouragement and generous material help. In making this work available more freely within the Sterling Area it is our earnest hope that many thousands more will find, as we have found, recovery from alcoholism and a new and happy way of living.”

Here is some great information about the identification markings for First Edition Big Books published in the United Kingdom that has been compiled by Sean C.

Alcoholics Anonymous United Kingdom

Identification of First Edition Big Books

Points to consider for identification

1. Dust jacket design
2. Presence or absence of WW logo on spine of book and/or jacket
3. Title page stated publishers
4. Copyright page dates or absence of dates

Printer’s Proof:

1. Looks to be a soft cover from photos so no DJ, unique to proof copy
2. No WW or any mention of The World’s Work anywhere
3. Works Publishing Inc and Sterling Trust Publishing Co
4. US printings up to 14th 1951, then ‘First English Printing 1953’

Notes: possibly only 2 in existence

First Printing:

1. Blank front, spine and back, printed flaps. Both have ‘free examination’ paragraph and both mention Alanon Publications
2. No WW or any mention of The World’s Work anywhere
3. Works Publishing Inc and Alanon Publications
4. US printings up to 14th 1951, then ‘First Printing in England 1954’

Notes: claims of print run of 2000 or as little as 200, 10 of which were signed by the four people who made the book possible

Second Impression:

1. No WW or any mention of The World’s Work anywhere
2. Works Publishing Inc and Alanon Publications
3. US printings up to 14th 1951, the ‘First Printed in England 1954, Second Impression 1956’

Third Impression:

1. No WW on spine or any mention of The World’s Work anywhere
2. Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing Inc Ney York and Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing Co  Great Britain and Ireland
3. US printings up to 14th 1951, the ‘First Printed in England 1954, Second Impression 1956, Third Impression 1958’

Fourth Impression:

1. Red and yellow jacket, flaps match the 1st 1st exactly, including saying Alanon Publications
2. WW on spine of book but not jacket, no other mention of The World’s Work anywhere
3. Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing Inc Ney York and Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing Co  Great Britain and Ireland
4. No dates of any kind, verso of title page only says at the bottom ‘Printed and Bound in England by Hazell Watson and Viney LTD Aylesbury and Slough’

Fifth Impression:

1. Red and yellow jacket, flaps lack the ‘free examination’ paragraph, mentions The World’s Work and not Alanon Publications
2. WW on both book spine and jacket spine
3. ‘Distributed by The World’s Work… on behalf of Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing Inc New York and Alanon Publications…’
4. No dates of any kind, verso of title page only says at the bottom ‘Printed and Bound in England by Hazell Watson and Viney LTD Aylesbury and Slough’

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By verifying the different markings on the dust jacket and inside this book, you can identify that this specific book is the Fifth Impression of the First Edition published in the United Kingdom.

This book is in excellent condition and contains its original dust jacket. The cover looks great and shows no wear. The gilt lettering is bright and looks great. The book is fully intact with no missing or damaged pages. There are two pencil markings on the inside of the front cover. There is no other writing or markings inside the book. The dust jacket has experienced some wear with chipping and small tears around the edges.

Please view all of the photos for the conditions.