Jim Burwell

The Early History of Alcoholics Anonymous

By: Jim Burwell, History of Recovery

Narrated by: Jim Burwell, A Bill Friend

Jim Burwell: The Early History of Alcoholics Anonymous

One of the first longtime sober members of AA talks about the people, events, and development of ideas and practices that created AA:

• Ebby, Bill Wilson, and the Oxford Group
• Hank Parkhurst, Ruth Hock, and the writing of the Big Book
• How AA got the name Alcoholics Anonymous
• Jack Alexander and the Saturday Evening Post article
• The 12 Traditions
• The circumstances that led up to AA self-governance by the General Service Conference

Jim Burwell, a very early AA member and author of The Vicious Cycle Big Book Story, got sober on June 15, 1938. He started the first AA group in Philadelphia and afterwards, lived in San Diego until his death on September 8, 1974. He died sober and participated in AA throughout the years of his sobriety.

©2020 Thomas Laperriere (P)2020 Thomas Laperriere

Great pre and current AA history

I love that he was with Bill a year and a half before the big book was written. And dad he lived with Bill for a few months. Also, I learned about hank parker who I had never heard of, and who we owe our lives to.

Humility of the early A.A.s

Loved it all. Some transcription errors but gist is clear. Looking forward to listening to the rest of the series.