Signed by “Mr. X” (Clarence Snyder) - Alcoholics Anonymous First Edition 12th Printing

Signed by "Mr. X” (Clarence Snyder) - Alcoholics Anonymous First Edition 12th Printing

This book has been inscribed by AA Pioneer Clarence Snyder. The inscription is on the first page of the book.

The inscription reads:

“May you always arise every morning with a happy heart instead of remorse in your soul. God Bless You from an Ex-Drunk. Mr. X.”

This inscription is a special piece and possibly the only known inscription by Clarence Snyder in which he signs as “Mr. X.”

Clarence Snyder is had become known as “Mr. X” as a result of an article/pamphlet from November 1939 titled “Mr. X and Alcoholics Anonymous”

This was a sermon preached on November 26, 1939 by Dilworth Lupton at the First Unitarian Church (Universalist - Unitarian), Euclid at East 82d Street, Cleveland, Ohio.

Mr. X was Clarence H. S. This was turned into one of the first pamphlets concerning A.A. and was used by A.A. members in Cleveland in the late 1930's and early 1940's.

by Dilworth Lupton

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Clarence Snyder: A GREAT deal can be said about Clarence Snyder and his contribution to the growth of Alcoholics Anonymous. The following is quoted from the website Big Book Sponsorship.

"Shortly after the publication of the volume, Alcoholics Anonymous (1939), a.k.a “The Big Book”, a third fellowship develops in Cleveland, Ohio (1940). This new fellowship is the first to use the Big Book as a part of their regular practice. A.A. pioneer, Clarence H. Snyder who was taken through the steps by Dr. Bob, modeled a style of one-on-one sponsorship in which a member of the fellowship experienced in the Twelve Step program would take a newcomer, under his wing, help him adjust to sobriety, and coach him through the Twelve Steps. The sponsor and newcomer would meet and work their way through the Big Book together, page by page."

"Cleveland sponsors emphasized the Oxford Group’s Four Absolutes (Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, Love) and the importance of working with other alcoholics. Due to a sudden swell in membership, newcomers were often put to work taking other newcomers (both one-on-one and beginners’ classes) through the book before they have even finished the Steps themselves. Due to the same swell in membership, Cleveland’s Big Book style sponsorship quickly becomes the most common form of AA." 

"Bill Wilson was constantly amazed at the growth and apparent success that Cleveland was having in sobering up alcoholics. He visited there every time that he went to Ohio. Bill later wrote in A.A. Comes of Age:"

“Yes, Cleveland’s results were of the best. Their results were in fact so good, and A.A.’s membership elsewhere was so small, that many a Clevelander really thought A.A.’s membership had started there in the first place. The Cleveland pioneers had proved three essential things: the value of personal sponsorship; the worth of the A.A.’s Big Book in indoctrinating newcomers, and finally the tremendous fact that A.A., when the word really got around, could now soundly grow to great size.”

"Clarence believed the difference between New York and Mid-West A.A. was the approach to sobriety. In Ohio the approach was, “Trust God, Clean House, and Help Others.” Clarence felt that the approach in New York was, “Don’t Drink and Go To Meetings”. 

"Emphasis on spirituality was what had made Ohio A.A. so successful, according to Clarence. He noticed that New York A.A. had but a few members who were maintaining any sort of abstinence from alcohol, and that most Ohio members had achieved what was to become permanent sobriety and had numerous, strong A.A. meetings in evidence."

"Moreover, Clarence thought that if the primary purpose of A.A. were only to stop drinking and, in order to maintain that abstinence, only go to meetings, A.A. was doomed to failure."

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This is a First Edition Twelfth Printing of the Big Book from October 1948. There were 42,350 copies of this printing released. The 12th printing features a navy blue cover with gilt lettering on the spine. This book comes with the original dust jacket. 

This book is in very good condition. The cover has experienced some wear with fading of the blue cover and wear at the spine. This book is complete with no torn or missing pages. There is no writing or markings in the book other than the inscription by Clarence. The book comes with an original dust jacket that is in good condition with edge wear and tears.

Please view all of the photos for the conditions.