Alcoholics Anonymous History
About Dick B., Author
© 2013 Anonymous. All
rights reserved
Dick B. is an active, recovered member of Alcoholics
Anonymous with more than 27 years of continuous sobriety. He is author of 46
published books and over 1500 published articles on Alcoholics Anonymous
History and on the Christian Recovery Movement. He is a retired attorney,
historian, CDAAC,; 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 and received training at Washington and Lee University. He received
his B.A. and J.D. degrees from Stanford University, and was Case Editor of the
Stanford Law Review.
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, radio and TV
shows, 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, radio interviews,
videos, audio cassettes tapes, audio blog talks, blogs, social media, 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 46 titles published about the history and
successes of early A.A. They include:
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, 3rd
ed.
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)
Stick with the Winners! (2012)
Pioneer Stories in Alcoholics Anonymous (2012)
The Introduction to Dover Publications reprint of the First
Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous
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 1500 articles and
100 talks on Christian Recovery Radio, several blogs, 30 audio talks on his
personal blog site (http://www.dickb-blog.com). He has recently been making
presentations on history cruises and, with his son Ken in a large number of
International Christian Recovery Coalition conferences in various parts of the
United States..
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.
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, Delta Tau Delta, Phi Delta Phi, the Stanford Alumni Association, Phi
Beta Kappa. He speaks at conferences, panels, seminars, and interviews.
No comments:
Post a Comment