Sobriety Without End — Father John Doe (Ralph Pfau) | 1957 First Printing | Signed
First Printing, 1957
Inscribed “Sincerely Father Pfau”
Offered here is a First Printing of Sobriety Without End, published in 1957 by Father John Doe—the pseudonym used by Father Ralph S. Pfau, one of the most important early spiritual writers associated with Alcoholics Anonymous.
What makes this particular copy especially collectible is that it has been personally signed by Pfau under his real name, with the inscription:
“Sincerely Father Pfau”
For a book originally published under the anonymous identity “Father John Doe,” a copy signed as Father Pfau creates an especially interesting connection between the pseudonym known to generations of A.A. readers and the priest behind it.
Father Ralph Pfau and Alcoholics Anonymous
Father Ralph Pfau (1904–1967) was a Roman Catholic priest from Indiana who entered Alcoholics Anonymous in 1943. He is generally identified in biographical accounts as the first Roman Catholic priest to achieve sobriety through A.A.
Writing as Father John Doe, Pfau became a prolific early voice on the spiritual life of recovery. His writings included the celebrated series of fourteen Golden Books, as well as the full-length books Sobriety and Beyond and Sobriety Without End. His work explored many of the subjects that recovering alcoholics encountered after putting down the drink: resentment, fear, humility, acceptance, emotional maturity, prayer, spiritual growth and serenity.
Unlike an official Alcoholics Anonymous publication, Pfau’s books represented the experience and interpretation of an individual A.A. member. They nevertheless became widely read within the recovery community and remain in print today. Sobriety Without End is still published for modern readers more than six decades after its original appearance.
Sobriety Without End
Published in 1957, Sobriety Without End followed Pfau’s earlier Sobriety and Beyond.
A contemporary 1957 review described Sobriety Without End as Pfau’s second book addressing the aims and techniques of Alcoholics Anonymous, organized around four objectives:
Sobriety — Sanity — Security — Sanctity
The book moves beyond simply stopping drinking and addresses the continuing mental and spiritual development Pfau believed was necessary for lasting sobriety.
That theme has given the book considerable longevity. Modern editions describe serenity as central to long-term sobriety and emphasize Pfau’s belief that continued mental and spiritual growth prepares the recovering alcoholic to meet the challenges of everyday life.
Signed as “Father Pfau”
The signature is what separates this copy from an ordinary First Printing.
The title was deliberately published under Father John Doe, yet this example bears the author’s real name:
“Sincerely Father Pfau”
For the A.A. collector, that makes the inscription particularly appealing: the book presents its author anonymously as Father John Doe while the inscription identifies the man behind that name.
Book Details
Title: Sobriety Without End
Author: Father John Doe (Father Ralph S. Pfau)
Publisher: SMT Publishing Co., Inc.
Place: Indianapolis, Indiana
Edition: First Printing
Year: 1957
Pages: 363
Signed: Yes — inscribed “Sincerely Father Pfau”
Original Published Price: $3.95
Subject: Alcoholics Anonymous, Twelve Step recovery, spirituality and long-term sobriety
Condition
This copy is in very good condition for its age.
The book shows general wear and some fading to the exterior consistent with age and use. There is previous-owner handwriting inside the front cover.
The author’s inscription, “Sincerely Father Pfau,” appears on the opening page and remains clear and legible.
No other writing or markings have been noted within the book.
Please review all photographs carefully for the exact condition of this individual copy.
Collector’s Note
Father Ralph Pfau occupies an unusual place in early A.A. literature. He was neither an A.A. founder nor an official spokesman for the Fellowship, but his books became part of the broader body of spiritual recovery literature read by generations of A.A. members.
A 1957 First Printing of one of his principal books signed “Father Pfau” brings together the early publication, the Father John Doe pseudonym, and the identity of the individual behind it in a single artifact.
