Alcoholics Anonymous History
About Dick B.
About Dick B.
Dick
B. is an active, recovered member of Alcoholics Anonymous; a retired attorney;
and a Bible student. He has sponsored more than one hundred men in their
recovery from alcoholism. Consistent with A.A.'s traditions of anonymity, he
uses the pseudonym "Dick B."
Dick
is the father of two married sons (Ken and Don) and a grandfather. As a young
man, he did a stint as a newspaper reporter. He attended the University of
California, Berkeley, where he received his A.A. degree in economics with
honors, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his Junior year. In the United
States Army, he was an Information Education Specialist. In the Army, he
attended a special information and education course at Washington and Lee
University in Virginia. He received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from Stanford
University, and was Case Editor of the Stanford Law Review. Recently, he became
a Christian Drug Alcohol and Addiction Counselor. He is the Executive Director
of International Christian Recovery Coalition.
The
author became interested in Bible study in his childhood Sunday School and was
much inspired by his mother's almost daily study of Scripture. He joined, and
later became president of, a Community Church affiliated with the United Church
of Christ. By 1972, he was studying the origins of the Bible and began
traveling abroad in pursuit of that subject. In 1979, he became much involved
in a Biblical research, teaching, and fellowship ministry. In his community
life, he was president of a merchants' council, Chamber of Commerce, church
retirement center, and homeowners' association. He served on a public district
board and was active in a service club.
In
1986, he was felled by alcoholism, gave up his law practice, and began recovery
as a member of the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1990, his interest in
A.A.'s Biblical/Christian roots was sparked by his attendance at A.A.'s
International Convention in Seattle. Since then, he has traveled widely;
researched at archives, and at public and seminary libraries; interviewed
scholars, historians, clergy, A.A. "old-timers" and survivors; and
participated in conferences, programs, panels, and seminars on early A.A.'s
spiritual history.
Dick
B.’s body of work on the history and successes of early Alcoholics Anonymous
includes seminars, books, articles, YouTube presentations, a radio show, radio
interviews, TV interviews, videos, blogs, audio, audio presentations, blog
talks, and newspaper articles. They show how the basic, and highly successful,
biblical ideas used by early AAs can be valuable tools for success in today's
A.A. Also, the religious and recovery communities are using his research and
titles to work more effectively with alcoholics, addicts, and others involved
in Twelve Step programs.
He
has had 44 titles published about the history and successes of early A.A. The
following are some of his early books on the subject:
- A New Way In
- A New Way Out
- Anne Smith's
Journal, 1933-1939: A.A.'s Principles of Success (3rd ed.)
- By the Power of
God: A Guide to Early A.A. Groups & Forming Similar Groups Today
- Courage to Change:
The Christian Roots of the Twelve-Step Movement (with Bill Pittman)
- Cured!: Proven Help
for Alcoholics and Addicts
- Dr. Bob and His
Library: A Major A.A. Spiritual Source
- Dr. Bob of
Alcoholics Anonymous
- GOD and Alcoholism:
Our Growing Opportunity in the 21st Century
- Good Morning!:
Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation, and Early A.A. (2d ed.)
- Henrietta B.
Seiberling - Ohio's Lady with a Cause
- Hope!: The Story of
Geraldine D., Alina Lodge, & Recovery
- Introduction to the
Sources and Founding of Alcoholics Anonymous (2007)
- Making Known the
Biblical History and Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous
- New Light on
Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A. (2d ed.)
- New Light—Guidebook
to Shoemaker (with Bill M.)
- Our A.A. Faith
Legacy (by three Clarence Snyder Oldtimer Sponsees and their Wives).
Compiled and edited by Dick B.
- Real Twelve Step
Fellowship History [Old School A.A.] (2006)
- That Amazing Grace:
The Role of Clarence and Grace S. in Alcoholics Anonymous
- The Akron Genesis
of Alcoholics Anonymous (2d ed.)
- The Books Early AAs
Read for Spiritual Growth (7th ed.)
- The Conversion of
Bill W. (2006)
- The First
Nationwide A.A. History Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, Feb. 2003
- The Golden Text of
A.A.: Early A.A., God, and Real Spirituality
- The Good Book and the
Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible (2nd ed.)
- The Good Book - Big
Book Guidebook
- The James Club and
The Original A.A. Program’s Absolute Essentials
- The Oxford Group
& Alcoholics Anonymous: A Design for Living That Works!
- Turning Point: A
History of Early A.A.'s Spiritual Roots and Successes
- Twelve Steps for
YOU: Let Our Creator, A.A. History, and the Big Book be Your Guide
- Utilizing Early
A.A.'s Spiritual Roots for Recovery Today
- When Early AAs Were
Cured. And Why
- Why Early A.A.
Succeeded: The Good Book in Alcoholics Anonymous Yesterday and Today
- Women Pioneers of
A.A. (contributor of Seiberling chapter)
- The Dick B.
Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed.
These
have been discussed in newspaper articles and reviewed in Library Journal,
Bookstore Journal, For A Change, The Living Church, Faith
at Work, Sober Times, Episcopal Life, Recovery News, Ohioana
Quarterly, The PHOENIX, MRA Newsletter, and the Saint
Louis University Theology Digest
In
addition, the author has published over 1000 articles and 80 audio talks on his
personal blog site (http://www.dickb-blog.com) and other sites such as
www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com. He has recently been making
presentations on history cruises.
Dick
now, and usually, has several works in progress. Much of his research and
writing is done in collaboration with his older son, Ken, who holds B.A.,
B.Th., and M.A. degrees. Ken has been a lecturer in New Testament Greek at a
Bible college and a lecturer in Fundamentals of Oral Communication at San
Francisco State University. Ken is a computer specialist and has been involved
in computer diagnostic sales and extensively involved in the ethanol industry
at the executive level. He is an ordained minister. Dick is a member of the
American Historical Association, Maui Writers Guild, Alcohol and Drugs History
Society, Organization of American Historians, Research Society on Alcoholism,
Christian Assn for Psychological Studies, Assn for Medical and Educational
Research on Substance Abuse, International Addition and Substance Abuse
Coalition, Coalition of Prison Evangelists, Curriculum of Association of
Christian Alcohol and Drug Counselors, Freedom Ranch Maui Incorporated,and Phi
Beta Kappa. He speaks at conferences, panels, seminars, and interviews.
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