BOOK REVIEW
The Al-Anon Family Groups - Classic Edition
Why would Al-Anon Family Groups reissue a 45 year-old book? Because, as is reported in the preface, "the words of our co-founders and early pioneers remain valued and relevant."
The Al-Anon Family Groups was first sold in 1955, when the fellowship of Family Groups was only four years old. The words of that era are remarkably relevant today. As the fellowship grew and their collective experiences grew, the book was renamed Living with an Alcoholic and expanded three times, in 1960, in 1968 and again in 1978. Thousands of family members learned how to cope with the alcoholism as it affected their families in one of these editions. But the flavor of the original text was lost as new experiences were described.
The first 100 pages of the book, The Al-Anon Family Groups - Classic Edition contains the original text of the 1955 edition. The entire book is footnoted, showing where and when changes were made, even describing changes in Al-Anon policy that occurred when the new editions were offered. In this way, members who wish to study the development of Al-Anon and the way members use the Steps and Traditions can read the material as used by the members of the 1950s.
One can see the profound influence of AA in these words. But a major question in this first edition is "Why do we need Family Groups?" The answer describes the application of the Twelve Steps to the lives of the family members, and these early pioneers did their best to describe the recovery they obtained from following in their spouses' footsteps and using the AA Twelve Steps in their own lives.
This book is still valuable to the newcomer who wishes to learn about how to recover from the effects of someone else's drinking. It is also valuable for the committed member of Al-Anon who wonders how certain policies have developed and how the Al-Anon Family Groups function in today's fast paced society.
One may obtain copies of this book at Al-Anon Family Group meetings, at the local Al-Anon bookstore, sometimes also called an Intergroup or Information Service, or directly from Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. 1600 Corporate Landing Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23454. In Santa Clara County, the bookstore is located at the Santa Clara Valley Intergroup Office, 1 West Campbell Ave Room Q82, Campbell, CA 95008. Call 408-379-9375 for times when volunteers are there to sell literature.
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