{"product_id":"twelve-steps-twelve-traditions-1953-first-printing-aa-publishing-original-dust-jacket","title":"Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions — First Edition, First Printing (1953) Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. — Original Dust Jacket","description":"\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eOffered here is a \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e1953 First Edition, First Printing of Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, published by Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. and retaining its original blue-and-black dust jacket.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe copyright page is correctly marked:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFIRST EDITION\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u2028\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eD-C\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eidentifying this as the original 1953 printing of one of the most important books ever published by Alcoholics Anonymous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThis is the \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. issue\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, produced for distribution through the Fellowship itself. At the same time, Harper \u0026amp; Brothers handled copies intended for the outside commercial book trade, creating two distinctly different presentations of the same landmark text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eFor collectors, the two 1953 issues form one of the most interesting publishing pairs in early A.A. literature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe A.A. Publishing First Printing\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p4\"\u003eThe Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing issue is immediately recognizable by its distinctive presentation:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eOriginal \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eblue-and-black striped dust jacket\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eJacket price of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e$2.75\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlue paper-covered boards with a \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eblack cloth spine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGold spine lettering reading \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eTwelve Steps and Twelve Traditions\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTitle page identifying \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo author identified on the title page\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCopyright page marked \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e“FIRST EDITION D-C”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThese characteristics distinguish it from the simultaneously issued Harper version, which used a green-and-black jacket, light-colored boards with a black spine, silver lettering, and identified the author simply as “Anonymous.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Landmark Moment in A.A. Publishing History\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe publication of \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eTwelve Steps and Twelve Traditions\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e in 1953 represented an important stage in the development of Alcoholics Anonymous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eBill W.’s essays expanded upon the Twelve Steps first introduced in the 1939 \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and provided a detailed explanation of the Twelve Traditions—the principles developed to protect the unity, independence, and long-term survival of A.A. groups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe book appeared just as A.A.‘s publishing operation itself was changing. Works Publishing, Inc. had been renamed \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, giving the Fellowship’s publishing activities an identity more clearly connected with Alcoholics Anonymous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe 1953 General Service Conference report noted that the new name had already been used in Bill’s new book, \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eTwelve Steps and Twelve Traditions\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eDemand was immediate. The same Conference report recorded that \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003enearly 6,000 copies had been ordered by A.A. groups within ten days of the book’s announcement.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eA.A. Publishing and Harper \u0026amp; Brothers\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eAnother particularly interesting aspect of the First Printing is that two versions entered circulation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eAlcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. retained ownership of the book and distributed copies within A.A., while Harper \u0026amp; Brothers was approved to distribute the new volume through non-A.A. outlets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe arrangement gave Bill W.’s new book access to bookstores, libraries, professionals, clergy, families, and other readers who might otherwise never encounter A.A. literature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eToday, the two issues provide collectors with a tangible record of how Alcoholics Anonymous was simultaneously serving its own rapidly expanding Fellowship while introducing its principles to the wider public.\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 copy retains its \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eoriginal 1953 Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. dust jacket\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe blue-and-black jacket remains attractive and substantially complete. It shows age-appropriate edge wear, rubbing, small chips and short tears, particularly along the upper and lower edges, folds, corners, and spine ends. There is scattered surface wear and some light discoloration, but the blue-and-black design remains strong and the front panel displays very well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe book itself is particularly attractive. The blue boards remain clean and evenly colored with only light edge and corner wear. The black cloth spine is well preserved, and the original gold lettering and decorative lines remain clear and bright.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe endpapers show light age toning and some faint discoloration, including a rectangular area of toning on the rear free endpaper. The title and copyright pages remain clean and clearly display the important First Edition publishing information.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eOverall, the book presents very nicely, particularly when displayed in its original jacket.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003ePlease review all photographs carefully for the exact condition of this copy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Cornerstone of Early Alcoholics Anonymous Literature\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eFor collectors of A.A. history, the 1953 First Printing of \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eTwelve Steps and Twelve Traditions\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e is much more than an early edition of a familiar book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eIt represents the first appearance of Bill W.’s extended writings on both the Steps and Traditions, the emergence of Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. under its new name, and an important moment when A.A. began deliberately expanding the reach of its literature both within and beyond the Fellowship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eWith its \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eoriginal blue-and-black dust jacket, D-C First Edition designation, and distinctive A.A. Publishing binding\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, this is an excellent representative example of one of the foundational publications in Alcoholics Anonymous history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Recovery Collectibles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49925858001138,"sku":null,"price":1100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0328\/4625\/0120\/files\/0E3999F2-9426-4D14-A848-0E3BCC8BBD43.jpg?v=1786763698","url":"https:\/\/recoverycollectibles.com\/products\/twelve-steps-twelve-traditions-1953-first-printing-aa-publishing-original-dust-jacket","provider":"Recovery Collectibles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}