award-winning journalist and author

Big Book Unplugged

Hazelden
paperback, 2003
nonfiction, 128 pages

A big part of figuring out how to stay clean and sober is learning how other people manage to do it. That’s exactly why the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, was written way back in 1929. A small group of alcoholics thought that maybe they could help each other–and help other alcoholics–by sharing their own stories about the alcoholism and how they overcame it. Turns out that a lot of the stuff they wrote about back then holds true for alcoholics and addicts today.

Of course, some of the language in the Big Book is dated. And some of the stories sound like they’re from a different century–which they are. But the basic messages about getting honest with yourself, accepting help from others, and finding some kind of spiritual support are as powerful and relevant as ever. Big Book Unplugged, written for teens and young adults, is a simple, concise, and often humorous guide to using the incredible book that has given millions of people around the world a new chance for a happy life.

Author Interview

Q. Why don’t young people read the Big Book?

A. I found when I was working as a therapist in an adolescent treatment center and later as a high school drug counselor, kids were reluctant to read the Big Book. It was too big, too old-fashioned. They didn’t see how it related to them.

Q. So, how does it relate to them? What’s the Big Book got to say to young people today?

A. That’s the beauty of A.

A. Our stories connect us. It’s all in the Big Book. A white, middle-aged businessman’s story can resonate with a Native American teenager on the run. But, to hear that, you have to get past the superficial barriers.

Q. Superficial barriers. What do you mean?

A. Those outward appearances that trip us up. Those things we spot that make us want to write someone off before we hear what they have to say. Maybe we meet someone at a meeting who looks different from us, and we think, I don’t have anything to learn from that guy. Turns out, that’s probably the guy who says the thing we remember next week. Same thing happens in the Big Book. For instance, Bill W. writes about having a promising career on Wall Street. A kid smoking crack in Seattle reads that and probably says, Nope, I don’t have anything to learn from that guy. If she can get past that, she’ll realize she and Bill have a lot in common.

Q. Like what?

A. Their addiction. Doesn’t matter the type of alcohol or drug, if they’re addicts, they’re soulmates. Their stories will resonate with one another. That’s the basis of recovery. So, in addition to sharing their addiction, they share the solution. By working the Steps and following the program of recovery outlined in the Big Book, the kid in Seattle–or any young person, for that matter–can get clean and sober like Bill W. and the other early pioneers.

Q. You know this from personal experience, don’t you?

A. Yes. In the first chapter of “Big Book Unplugged,” I write about how, with some reluctance, I discovered all that I had in common with Bill W. I was a teenage dope fiend, but, despite our differences, I realized the solution worked for me. I sobered up at 17, so I know some of the challenges that come with being young and sober, one of which is getting past the age barrier in the Big Book.

Q. How does “Big Book Unplugged” do that?

A. First, I want to point out that this guide isn’t a substitute for reading the Big Book. It’s intended to help young people discover the Big Book’s hidden treasures. I think of it as a guidebook for a trip. It points out sights of interests and things not to miss, but it’s not a substitute for the trip itself. Rather, it helps readers make the most out of their trip through the Big Book. And recovery is a trip, believe me. But, to answer your question more directly, I break down each chapter so the Big Book doesn’t seem so big. And I make direct connections to young people’s lives, often drawn from my own experience, so they can see how what the authors have to say relates to what they’re living.

Q. Is “Big Book Unplugged” just for young people?

A. It’s for anyone interested in the wisdom of AA. I’ve aimed at young people, but others can sort of read over their shoulders and glean the nuggets of wisdom for themselves. In addition, two chapters specifically address other audiences, as the Big Book does itself. I’ve tailored the Big Book’s chapter “To Employers” to all adults who care about a young person with an alcohol or drug problem. And the chapter to the family is for anyone who has a family member struggling with alcohol or other drugs.

Q. What’s the single most important message someone will get out of your book?

A. That the Big Book’s worth reading because it’s message is, If you’re suffering from addiction, there’s hope for you. Here it is.

Reviews

The author, a chemical dependency counselor, is a member of Alcoholics Anonymous with more than 20 years of sobriety. He has targeted this guide specifically toward teenagers and young adults in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, with the hope of demystifying the basic text for young people who may be put off by the length or language. Alcoholics Anonymous, more familiarly called The Big Book, was published in 1939 and is now on its fourth edition. The Big Book describes the basic AA 12-step program, including the personal story of Bill W., credited with founding AA. In this clearly written manual, John R. devotes an interpretive chapter that corresponds to each of the 11 chapters in The Big Book. Although many of the chapters will be useful to adolescents in recovery, chapter four, “We Agnostics,” will be particularly helpful to those who are uncomfortable with AA’s spiritual component. John R. includes eight personal stories of recovering alcoholics from the 42 in the original text that, according to him, speak most directly to young people. He strongly suggests reading a chapter or a personal story in The Big Book before turning to the guide for assistance with the meaning of information provided. In addition to those in recovery, this guide will also be useful to their family, friends, counselors and teachers.

–Publisher’s Weekly