Bill W Popular Books

Bill W Biography & Facts

William Griffith Wilson (November 26, 1895 – January 24, 1971), also known as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). AA is an international mutual aid fellowship with about two million members worldwide belonging to AA groups, associations, organizations, cooperatives, and fellowships of alcoholics helping other alcoholics achieve and maintain sobriety. Following AA's Twelfth Tradition of anonymity, Wilson is commonly known as "Bill W." or "Bill". To identify each other, members of AA will sometimes ask others if they are "friends of Bill". Though this question can be confusing, because "Bill" is a common name, it provides a means of establishing the common experience of AA membership. After Wilson's death, and amidst controversy within the fellowship, his full name was included in obituaries by journalists who were unaware of the significance of maintaining anonymity within the organization.Wilson's sobriety from alcohol, which he maintained until his death, began December 11, 1934. In 1955, Wilson turned over control of AA to a board of trustees. Wilson died in 1971 of emphysema from smoking tobacco complicated by pneumonia. In 1999, Time listed him as "Bill W.: The Healer" in the Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century. Early life Wilson was born on November 26, 1895, in East Dorset, Vermont, the son of Emily (née Griffith) and Gilman Barrows Wilson. He was born at his parents' home and business, the Mount Aeolus Inn and Tavern. His paternal grandfather, William C. Wilson, was also an alcoholic. Influenced by the preaching of an itinerant evangelist, some weeks before, William C. Wilson climbed to the top of Mount Aeolus, had a spiritual experience and never drank alcohol again.Both of Bill's parents abandoned him soon after he and his sister were born – his father never returned from a purported business trip, and his mother left Vermont to study osteopathic medicine. Bill and his sister were raised by their maternal grandparents, Fayette and Ella Griffith. As a teen, Bill showed little interest in his academic studies and was rebellious. During a summer break in high school, he spent months designing and carving a boomerang to throw at birds, raccoons, and other local wildlife. After many difficult years during his early-mid teens, Bill became the captain of his high school's football team, and the principal violinist in its orchestra. Bill also dealt with a serious bout of depression at the age of seventeen, following the death of his first love, Bertha Bamford, who died of complications from surgery. Marriage, work, and alcoholism Wilson met his wife Lois Burnham during the summer of 1913, while sailing on Vermont's Emerald Lake; two years later the couple became engaged. He entered Norwich University, but depression and panic attacks forced him to leave during his second semester. The next year he returned, but was soon suspended with a group of students involved in a hazing incident. Because no one would take responsibility, and no one would identify the perpetrators, the entire class was punished.The June 1916 incursion into the U.S. by Pancho Villa resulted in Wilson's class being mobilized as part of the Vermont National Guard and he was reinstated to serve. The following year he was commissioned as an artillery officer. During military training in Massachusetts, the young officers were often invited to dinner by the locals, and Wilson had his first drink, a glass of beer, to little effect. A few weeks later at another dinner party, Wilson drank some Bronx cocktails, and felt at ease with the guests and liberated from his awkward shyness; "I had found the elixir of life", he wrote. "Even that first evening I got thoroughly drunk, and within the next time or two I passed out completely. But as everyone drank hard, not too much was made of that."Wilson married Lois on January 24, 1918, just before he left to serve in World War I as a 2nd lieutenant in the Coast Artillery. After his military service, Wilson returned to live with his wife in New York. He failed to graduate from law school because he was too drunk to pick up his diploma. Wilson became a stock speculator and had success traveling the country with his wife, evaluating companies for potential investors. During these trips Lois had a hidden agenda: she hoped the travel would keep Wilson from drinking. However, Wilson's constant drinking made business impossible and ruined his reputation. In 1933, Wilson was committed to the Charles B. Towns Hospital for Drug and Alcohol Addictions in New York City four times under the care of William Duncan Silkworth. Silkworth's theory was that alcoholism was a matter of both physical and mental control: a craving, the manifestation of a physical allergy (the physical inability to stop drinking once started) and an obsession of the mind (to take the first drink). Wilson gained hope from Silkworth's assertion that alcoholism was a medical condition, but even that knowledge could not help him. He was eventually told that he would either die from his alcoholism or have to be locked up permanently due to Wernicke encephalopathy (commonly referred to as "wet brain"). A spiritual program for recovery In November 1934, Wilson was visited by an old drinking companion, Ebby Thacher. Wilson was astounded to find Thacher had been sober for weeks under the guidance of the evangelical Christian Oxford Group. Wilson took some interest in the group, but shortly after Thacher's visit, he was again admitted to Towns Hospital to recover from a bout of drinking. This was his fourth and last stay at Towns under Silkworth's care and he showed signs of delirium tremens. There, Bill W had a "White Light" spiritual experience and quit drinking. Earlier that evening, Thacher had visited and tried to persuade him to turn himself over to the care of a Christian deity who would liberate him from alcohol. He was also given belladonna, which causes hallucinations. According to Wilson, while lying in bed depressed and despairing, he cried out, "I'll do anything! Anything at all! If there be a God, let Him show Himself!" He then had the sensation of a bright light, a feeling of ecstasy, and a new serenity. He never drank again for the rest of his life. Wilson described his experience to Silkworth, who told him, "Something has happened to you I don't understand. But you had better hang on to it".Wilson joined the Oxford Group and tried to help other alcoholics. They did not get sober, but Wilson kept sober himself. During a failed business trip to Akron, Ohio, Wilson was tempted to drink again and decided that to remain sober he needed to help another alcoholic. He called phone numbers in a church directory and eventually secured an introduction to Bob Smith, an alcoholic Oxford Group member. Wilson explained Silkworth's theory that alcoholics suffer from a physical allergy and a mental obsession. Wilson shared that the only way he was able to .... Discover the Bill W popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Bill W books.

Best Seller Bill W Books of 2024

  • The Bush Crime Family synopsis, comments

    The Bush Crime Family

    Roger Stone & Saint John Hunt

    "This book is very tough." President Donald TrumpThe Bush Crime Family smashes through the layers of lies and secrecy that have surrounded and protected our country’s most success...

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    For Crew and Country

    John Wukovits

    In For Crew and Country, John Wukovits tells of the most dramatic naval battle of the Pacific War and the incredible sacrifice of the USS Samuel B. Roberts.On October 25, 1944, the...

  • Bill W My First 40 Years synopsis, comments

    Bill W My First 40 Years

    Anonymous

    Told here for the first time in his own words is the story Bill W.a man who, for his part in founding Alcoholics Anonymous, would be honored as one of the most important figures of...

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    Real Irish New York

    Dermot McEvoy

    As they entered their six hundredth year of British occupation, the Irish looked to America. By the 1840s, America was the oasis that the Irish sought during a decade of both famin...

  • The Hell of Good Intentions synopsis, comments

    The Hell of Good Intentions

    Stephen M. Walt

    From the New York Times–bestselling author Stephen M. Walt, The Hell of Good Intentions dissects the faults and foibles of recent American foreign policyexplaining why it has been ...

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    The First Family Detail

    Ronald Kessler

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER   “Ron Kessler appears to get everything first.”Slate As in a play, presidents, vice presidents, and presidential candidates perform onstage for...

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    The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Presidents, Part 2

    Steven F. Hayward

    A book to challenge the status quo, spark a debate, and get people talking about the issues and questions we face as a country!

  • Ebby synopsis, comments

    Ebby

    Mel B.

    This is both a fascinating history of the formative years of Alcoholics Anonymous, as well as the bittersweet tale of the troubled man Bill W. always referred to as "my sponsor."In...

  • As Bill Sees It synopsis, comments

    As Bill Sees It

    Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

    Alcoholics Anonymous cofounder Bill W. once wrote that this collection of excerpts from his writings was “meant to serve as an aid to individual meditation and a stimulant for grou...

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    How to Lead

    David M. Rubenstein

    The New York Times Bestseller #1 Wall Street Journal BestsellerThe essential leadership playbook. Learn the principles and guiding philosophies of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Ruth Bade...

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    First

    Evan Thomas

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The intimate, inspiring, and authoritative biography of Sandra Day O’Connor, America’s first female Supreme Court justice, drawing on exclusive interview...

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    The Presidents Club

    Nancy Gibbs & Michael Duffy

    The New York Times bestselling history of the private relationships among the last thirteen presidentsthe partnerships, private deals, rescue missions, and rivalries of those selec...

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    Destiny and Power

    Jon Meacham

    #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  In this brilliant biography, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Jon Meacham chronicles the life of George Herbert Walker Bush.NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BES...

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    Conspiracy of Fools

    Kurt Eichenwald

    From an awardwinning New York Times reporter comes the full, mindboggling true story of the lies, crimes, and ineptitude behind the Enron scandal that imperiled a presidency, des...

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    Bill W.

    Francis Hartigan

    When Bill Wilson, with his friend Dr. Bob Smith, founded Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935, his hope was that AA would become a safe haven for those who suffered from this disease. Thir...

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    Goliath

    Matt Stoller

    “Every thinking American must read” (The Washington Book Review) this startling and “insightful” (The New York Times) look at how concentrated financial power and consumerism has t...

  • Dr. Bob and Bill W. Speak synopsis, comments

    Dr. Bob and Bill W. Speak

    Michael Fitzpatrick

    Learn about the luminaries behind one of the greatest social movements of our time through the neverbeforepublished recordings, letters, and stories found in this intimate multimed...

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    Como Lo Ve Bill

    Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

    Bill W., cofundador de Alcohólicos Anónimos, escribió una vez que el propósito de esta colección de extractos de sus obras escritas era el de “servir como una ayuda a la meditación...

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    The Partly Cloudy Patriot

    Sarah Vowell

    From public radio This American Life contributor and selfdescribed “history nerd” Sarah Vowell comes a collection of humorous and personal essays investigating American history, po...

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    Bill W

    Robert Thomsen

    Robert Thomsen's biography describes the story of Bill W., a stirring spiritual odyssey through triumph, failure, and rebirth, with vital meaning for men and women everywhere.This ...

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    Presidents in Crisis

    Michael K Bohn

    Every American president, when faced with a crisis, longs to take bold and decisive action. When American lives or vital interests are at stake, the publicand especially the news m...

  • The Lois Wilson Story synopsis, comments

    The Lois Wilson Story

    William G. Borchert

    Now a Hallmark Hall of Fame special, "When Love is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story, " this is the biography of AlAnon creator and wife of AA cofounder Bill W.Lois Wilson, the wif...

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    Empire of Democracy

    Simon Reid-Henry

    The first panoramic history of the Western world from the 1970s to the present dayfrom the Cold War to the 2008 financial crisis and wars in the Middle EastEmpire of Democracy is “...

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    All the Best, George Bush

    George H. W. Bush

    Former President George H.W. Bush, revealed through his letters and writings from 1941 to 2010, is “worth its weight in gold…a valuable update of the life of an honorable American ...

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    My Father, My President

    Doro Bush Koch

    Revised and updated with six new chapters and many new photographs following his death at age 94, this is the definitive account of George H.W. Bush's life and career written by hi...

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    The Real Warren Buffett

    James O'Loughlin

    The Real Warren Buffett unveils the secret of how Warren Buffett led Berkshire Hathaway to staggering success. Zeroing in on his original management style and leadership approach, ...

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    Walk the Talk with Step 12

    Gary K.

    Being of service is essential to staying sober and can add a new level of perspective and gratitude to your life. Learn about the power of Step 12 and how to weave service into you...

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    Nuestra gran responsabilidad

    Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

    Puesto por primera vez a la disposición de los lectores de todas partes del mundo, el libro Nuestra gran responsabilidad reúne 16 charlas pronunciadas por Bill W., cofundador de Al...

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    How to Invest

    David M. Rubenstein

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA master class on investing featuring conversations with the biggest names in finance, from the legendary cofounder of The Carlyle Group, David M. Rubenste...

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    The Man Who Knew

    Sebastian Mallaby

    “Exceptional . . . Deeply researched and elegantly written . . . As a description of the politics and pressures under which modern independent central banking has to operate, the b...

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    Anything for a Vote

    Joseph Cummins

    An updated and illustrated compendium of mudslinging, character assassinations, and belowboard election strategies from U.S. presidential politics throughout history! Discover the ...

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    For the Good of the Game

    Bud Selig

    A New York Times bestsellerForeword by Doris Kearns GoodwinThe longtime Commissioner of Major League Baseball provides an unprecedented look inside professional baseball ...

  • The Conversion of Bill W. synopsis, comments

    The Conversion of Bill W.

    Dick B.

    An astonishing study of the religious background and beliefs of A.A. cofounder Bill Wilson and from the particular perspective of the "conversion" which he said was the fou...

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    Speaking of Freedom

    George H. W. Bush

    Through the lens of more than forty speeches from his presidency, George H. W. Bush takes a special look back on the momentous global events of 19891992 the fall of the Berlin Wal...

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    Doomed to Succeed

    Dennis Ross

    A necessary and unprecedented account of America's changing relationship with IsraelWhen it comes to Israel, U.S. policy has always emphasized the unbreakable bond between the two ...

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    Why the Right Went Wrong

    E.J. Dionne

    From the author of Why Americans Hate Politics, the New York Times bestselling and “notably fairminded” (The New York Times Book Review), story of the GOP’s fracturingfrom the 1964...

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    Lies

    Al Franken

    The #1 New York Times bestseller by Senator Al Franken, author of Giant of the SenateAl Franken, one of our “savviest satirists” (People), has been studying the rhetoric of the Rig...

  • The Age of Sacred Terror synopsis, comments

    The Age of Sacred Terror

    Daniel Benjamin & Steven Simon

    Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon began working on this book shortly after leaving the National Security Council, where, as director and senior director for counterterrorism, they w...