Bible and the Big Book

This big book is a first edition. I was told that it was not actually Dr. Bob's big book, but it does look like a first printing. I don't know if it was an actual first printing, but it was obviously not one of the new first edition reprints available at present, as it has no reprint stamp on the front, and it is thicker than the new reprints (which by the way are very nice in their own right). In the eighties a gentleman reprinted the first edition, and quite a few copies were distributed. They are very high quality replicas, and to the untrained eye, can be difficult to differentiate from the actual first edition. Even those reprints now go for several hundred or more dollars. The first printing was red, and almost every other edition is blue, except for several very rare printings which were green. Up until mid way through the seventh printing, the big book remained the same size. It was a very thick large book, making use of heavier weight paper. Mid way through the seventh printing, the size was drastically reduced to comply with government regulations, regarding paper use in publishing, during WWII.

From the first printing to the second, several changes were made. The story "A lone Endevour" was removed. Even the title of the story will be all that is necessary for most AA members to understand the necessity of it's removal. Several other changes were made, including but not limited to the change of "spirtual experience" to "spiritual awakening" in chapter five. This change was made at the recomendation of a priest, as it was pointed out to Bill Wilson, that not all members would have a spiritual experience as Bill had, and that it could prove to be a point of contention.

The second picture is of Dr. Bob's bible. Thie bible is in fact the bible that Dr. Bob used. It is under glass, in the living room area of the house, and opened to the book of James.