Product Description

Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide organisation, which, since 1935, has helped millions of people to break free of their addiction. Now, acclaimed author Susan Cheever paints a remarkably human portrait of Bill Wilson, the man who created the famous Twelve-Step Programme and, with his friend, Dr Bob Smith, founded AA. Using extensive research, Cheever traces Wilson's life from his birth in small-town Vermont, to his battle with alcoholism and the eventual creation of AA. Wilson's life had many struggles and controversies and Cheever does credit to his legacy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #840719 in Books
• Published on: 2004-02-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

Review
Judy Collins

Susan Cheever has written a stunning and moving book about the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. It is deeply poetic and illuminates Bill Wilson's brilliance, his eccentricity, and his humanness in a way that brings the whole movement to life. I couldn't put it down. Anyone who is interested in Alcoholics Anonymous or in humanity should read this book!

Customer Reviews

Not the perfect man, but the perfect man for the job
Bill Wilson wanted to be a rich and famous stock broker, another Thomas Edison, a great leader of men of industry. Instead he failed utterly at that, but somehow ended up becoming one of Time Magazine's greatest people of the 20th century! How this all happened was because he found a way to stop his alcoholic drinking - drinking that had destroyed all past chances of conventional fame and fortune. His way of remaining sober was so successful for him and others, and his dedication and fascination with it so intense, that he ended up becoming world famous anyway - but in the last way he expected. However it was no doubt a fame and fortune that was far more satisfying and lasting than any fame stock broking or business leadership could have given him.

This biography of Bill Wilson, by Susan Cheever, is written skillfully and lovingly, carrying the reader through the subject pretty effortlessly. Cheever repeats herself slightly at the beginning of each chapter, creating an almost poetic, rythmic effect. But as well as the pleasure of reading a well written book, the other main element of fascination was how Bill's humanity comes through here. At the end of reading this biography, I was left in no doubt that Bill Wilson had many imperfections and was nowhere near a saint. But I was also left in no doubt that he had achieved absolutely extraodinary things, and had tried throughout his life to become a better man as well. The story is an inspiration to all imperfect people who strive to become better. And perhaps is also a lesson to us: our greateness and genius is not always found in the things that boost the bank and ego.

to much
Reads like a novel, great if you feel like a story, if you want to find out more about Bill this is not the book, I wanted a factual life account, this was not more a dressed up for publishing account I thought.

sattisfied customer
this dvd was as expected from seller i enjoy it and received it with quickness safe jim barker