Alcoholics Anonymous History
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 eighty 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. He received his A.B. and J.D. degrees from Stanford University, and was Case Editor of the Stanford Law Review. Dick 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, radio interviews, videos, audio cassettes tapes, 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 seventeen titles published about the history and successes of early A.A.:

• Anne Smith's Journal, 1933-1939: A.A.’s Principles of Success
• 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)
• Dr. Bob and His Library: A Major A.A. Spiritual Source
• Good Morning!: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation, and Early A.A.
• Hope!: The Story of Geraldine D., Alina Lodge, & Recovery
• Making Known the Biblical History and Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous: An Eleven-Year Research, Writing, Publishing,
  and Fact Dissemination Project
• New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A.
• The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous
• The Books Early AAs Read for Spiritual Growth
• The Golden Text of A.A.
• The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible
• The Oxford Group & Early Alcoholics Anonymous: A Design for Living that Works!
• That Amazing Grace: The Role of Clarence and Grace S. in Alcoholics Anonymous
• Turning Point: A History of Early A.A.'s Spiritual Roots and Successes
• Utilizing Early A.A.’s Spiritual Roots for Recovery Today
• Why Early A.A. Succeeded: The Good Book in Alcoholics Anonymous Yesterday and Today (A Bible Study Primer for AAs and other 12-Steppers)

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.

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, Christian association for Psychological Studies, and The Authors' Guild. He speaks at conferences, panels, seminars, and interviews.

Dick B.'s email address is: dickb@dickb.com. The URL address for his web site on the history and successes of early Alcoholics Anonymous is: http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml.