After 70 years, the book Alcoholics Anonymous (referred to as the Big Book) is still the best and only source for step by step instruction on the practical program of action that leads to recovery from addiction. The first 164 pages of the book (the pages that describe the program) which were collectively put together by the first 100 alcoholics who recovered have hardly been changed since it was first published because the collective wisdom of millions of recovered and recovering addicts is that those pages are as useful today as they were back in 1939.
Those who use this book regularly, not as a study guide, but as a guide to practical action get the best recoveries.
Over the years, especially in the 1970s, many groups and individuals in AA and other fellowships lost sight of the importance of the Big Book and even lost sight of the necessity to take Steps early and intensely. Two alcoholics, Charlie and Joe, were together entirely responsible for a renewal of interest in the Big Book through their Big Book Study retreats which added much meaning and background to using the Big Book.
Click here for the first 164 pages of the "Big Book", and click here for a transcript of an entire Charlie and Joe Study weekend study group (the first 3 pages are an Index, the actual sessions begin on page 4). You can also listen to Charlie and Joe - there are 35 mp3s available here from one weekend - available for download. These sessions are not just informative, they are entertaining too!
I cannot overstate the benefit that your recovery will get from going through the Big Book with Charlie and Joe. Read or listen to their sessions on a regular basis and it will change your life. That is a guarantee.