The Runner’s Bible by Nora Holm - First Printing from 1913

The Runner’s Bible

Compiled and Annotated for the Reading of Him Who Runs

by N. S. Holm

1913 · First Edition · John Howell (San Francisco)

Overview

Offered here is the 1913 San Francisco first edition of The Runner’s Bible by N. S. Holm, published by John Howell. 

It’s a small, unassuming book with a big “quiet-time” purpose: a portable devotional meant for people who are busy, restless, or simply “on the run,” gathering Bible passages and brief annotations into a simple, usable guide. Holm originally compiled it for her seventeen-year-old daughter—already “running,” as the author puts it—so the book carries a lived, practical tenderness rather than a formal theological tone. 

A.A. collector interest

This title is especially interesting in early A.A. collecting because it’s repeatedly associated (in later A.A. historical writing) with Dr. Bob’s devotional reading life—the kind of “morning watch” spirituality that surrounded Akron in the earliest days. In A.A.-history circles, The Runner’s Bible is remembered as one of those small personal books that could be studied, shared, and handed to someone who needed encouragement—exactly the kind of grassroots spiritual tool that helped carry the message before A.A. literature became abundant. 

Edition Details

Title: The Runner’s Bible

Author: N. S. Holm

Publisher: John Howell, San Francisco

Year: 1913

Format: Small-format softcover

Condition

Very Good for its age. Covers show wear to edges and spine, consistent with a 1913 devotional that was meant to be carried and used. Binding wear inside the front cover. Interior is complete and readable. Stains visible on pages inside.

Markings: Pencil notes present on the first blank page. No other writing or markings noted.

Please review all photos carefully for the most accurate representation of condition.

A beautiful early devotional with real recovery-history appeal—small, practical, and full of “quiet time” spirit, and a fun one for A.A. historians and collectors to hunt for on the shelves.