Here is an inside and wide-angled view of Alcoholics Anonymous, a movement unique in its spiritual impact and social influence. It is for all who are interested to know the history of how A.A. started, how its principles of Recovery, Unity, and Service were evolved, and by what means this fellowship has grown and spread its message around the world. In addition, there is revealed here a wealth of anecdote and incident that illustrates the dramatic power of the basic methods of Alcoholics anonymous. The first part of the book presents a panoramic sketch of the historic St. Louis Convention at which the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous came of age and assumed full responsibility for all its affairs. The second part includes three talks, edited and enlarged, on the history of A.A. Recovery, Unity and Service, which were given by co-founder Bill W. at the St. Louis gathering. The third part is devoted to addresses of a number of A.A.'s friends, all of them notable in their several fields: Dr. harry Tiebout, psychiatrist, Dr. W.W. Bauer of the American Medical Association, Father Edward Dowling of the Jesuit order, Dr. Samuel Shoemaker, Episcopal clergyman, and Mr. Bernard B. Smith, New York attorney and recently Chairman of the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous. These friends tell of their association with Alcoholics Anonymous, the part they played in its development, and their view of what the future holds for this society, now consisting of over 2,000,000 recovered alcoholics the world over. - Dust jacket.