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BILL W. by Francis Hartigan Editorial review from Booklist magazine states: Alcoholics Anonymous cofounder Bill Wilson had his first alcoholic drink in the army in World War I and his last in December 1935. Meanwhile, he had nearly destroyed his capacity to work, his marriage, and his life. Drawing on interviews with Bill's widow, Lois, and others prominent in AA history, Hartigan distinguishes between Bill's private and public lives. He reveals that Bill's womanizing was so bad that AA colleagues set up a Founder's Watch Committee to steer Bill away from women he was about to get involved with; and he treats Bill's attacks of depression and Lois' efforts to keep him away from booze at length. The book also covers the extreme financial hardships Lois and Bill endured and about Bill's public persona, Hartigan recounts the hot flash experience that stopped his drinking and his policy that reformed alcoholics must help other drunks if they are to maintain their own sobriety. In addition, Hartigan covers AA's radiation from its Akron, Ohio, origins; the development of the 12 steps; the writing and publication of AA's famed Big Book; and AA's controversies in considerable detail. All-in-all, this is a book that I found hard to put down. Pub. St. Martin's Press, 2000 stated 1st edition, 1st printing, 237 pages, hardback in grey cloth board Retail price at $24.95.
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ISBN: 0312200560
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