The Little Red Book

[UpperbucksAAguy]

The Little Red Book was published by "the Coll-Webb Co.," which meant that Barry Collins (an important early figure in Minneapolis
A.A., who had gotten sober in A.A. on April 14, 1941) and Ed Webster were paying for publishing it themselves. They were fellow members of the Nicollet Group in Minneapolis.

A letter from Bobby Burger, the secretary at the New York A.A. headquarters (then called the Alcoholic Foundation), dated November 11, 1944, written to Barry Collins in Minneapolis, gives their full approval to the idea of Minneapolis publishing and using an A.A. pamphlet or booklet which the Minneapolis A.A. people had written themselves:

"Dear Barry:
. . . The Washington D.C. pamphlet and the
new Cleveland 'Sponsorship' pamphlet and a
host of others are all local projects. We do
not actually approve or disapprove of these
local pieces; by that I mean that the Founda-
tion feels each Group is entitled to write up
its own 'can opener' and let it stand on its
own merits. All of them have good points and
very few have caused any controversy. But as
in all things of a local nature, we keep hands
off, either pro or con. I think there must be
at least 25 local pamphlets now being used
and I've yet to see one that hasn't had some
good points. I think it is up to each indivi-
dual Group whether it wants to use and buy
these pamphlets from the Group that puts
them out.
Sincerely, Bobby (Margaret R. Burger)"

When The Little Red Book did come out, its use in A.A. meetings had the full approval both of Dr. Bob and the New York A.A. office. Dr. Bob actually helped Ed Webster write it, as we have already noted, but in addition, Jack H. (Scottsdale AZ) has discovered from Ed Webster's papers that Dr. Bob was sending large numbers of copies of The Little Red Book to A.A. groups in other parts of the country. Jack H. has also discovered from Ed
Webster's papers that in the late 1940's, the New York A.A. office was regularly ordering quantities of The Little Red Book for resale in New York.

Bill W. wrote Barry Collins about the
Minneapolis book in November 1950:

"The Little Red Book does fill a definite
need and has wide circulation. Therefore,
its usefulness is unquestioned. AA has a
definite place for such a book. Someday I
may try to write an introduction book myself
which I hope might complement favorably with
The Little Red Book. Here at the Foundation
we are not policemen; we're a service and
AAs are free to read any book they choose."
a few seconds ago · Like

[CarolD]

Interesting...I thought Hazelton published it ..tho I lost my copy years ago.

[UpperbucksAAguy]

Hazeldon does now. Ed Webster wrote it. Dr Bob is said to have helped

[Sapling]

Great book!

[bloss]

I downloaded The Little Red Book on my kindle...

[anew]

I have it on my ipod.

[heath480]

Yes I have it.