how many words are in the first 164 pages of the big book

Perhaps he has had delirium tremens. But this man still lives, and is a free man. But his face falls when we speak of spiritual matters, especially when we mention God, for we have re- opened a subject which our man thought he had neatly evaded or entirely ignored. Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. Though they knew they must help other alcoholics if they would remain sober, that motive became secondary. We were grateful that Reason had brought us so far. They will be only too glad to assist you. People feared for my sanity. You may make some interesting discoveries. Though I had been only a nominal churchman, their proposals were not, intellectually, hard to swallow. And so I did. We listed people, institutions or principles with whom we were angry. He remarked: Im mighty glad you fellows got over your drinking. One more suggestion: Whether the family has spiritual convictions or not, they may do well to examine the principles by which the alcoholic member is trying to live. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Oh no, said my friend, this chap is either through with liquor, or he is minus a job. Im a goner. If you ask him why he started on that last bender, the chances are he will offer you any one of a hundred alibis. Type the first few characters of your word-of-interest into the search box in the upper right corner. Many times I have gone to my old hospital in despair. At the hospital I was separated from alcohol for the last time. Keep it always in sight that we are dealing with that most terrible human emotion-jealousy. He may be more receptive when depressed. Did not these feelings, after all, determine the course of our existence? To one who feels he is an atheist or agnostic such an experience seems impossible, but to continue as he is means disaster, especially if he is an alcoholic of the hopeless variety. Suddenly the thought crossed my mind that if I were to put an ounce of whiskey in my milk it couldnt hurt me on a full stomach. And do not his actions make each of them wish to retaliate, snatching all they can get out of the show? The ticker still clattered. They may not see why their love and devotion did not straighten him out. Suppose an approach is made something like this: State that you know about his drinking, and that it must stop. But urge upon a mans family that he has been a very sick person and should be treated accordingly. Everybody knows that those in bad health, and those who seldom play, do not laugh much. Then we have the voices who cry for sex and more sex; who bewail the institution of marriage; who think that most of the troubles of the race are traceable to sex causes. They grinned, which I didnt like so much, and then asked me if I thought myself alcoholic and if I were really licked this time. In another case, an alcoholic was sent to a hospital for treatment. Assume on the other hand that father has, at the outset, a stirring spiritual experience. Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well. Is he not a victim of the delusion that he can wrest satisfaction and happiness out of this world if he only manages well? We have struck out viciously. We, who are familiar with the symptoms, see large numbers of potential alcoholics among young people everywhere. But these scrapes can generally be charged, no matter how bad, to the abnormal action of alcohol on his mind. Thats a common form of trouble too. But we must try to repair the damage immediately lest we pay the penalty by a spree. WebThis is true, the first 164 pages of the original Big Book publication in 1939 has been altered in small ways, such as the one you have mentioned. By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore nonalcoholic. You need this information to put yourself in his place, to see how you would like him to approach you if the tables were turned. We suggested he write his first wife admitting his faults and asking forgiveness. Most editors wouldnt recommend going over 80,000, as it will inspire bad taste among readers. But he will be curious to learn why his own convictions have not worked and why yours seem to work so well. Most of us sense that real tolerance of other peoples shortcomings and viewpoints and a respect for their opinions are attitudes which make us more useful to others. You may have to curb his desire to work sixteen hours a day. Young people may be encouraged by this mans experience to think that they can stop, as he did, on their own will power. First, we searched out the flaws in our make-up which caused our failure. You can help when no one else can. They can hardly fail to approve these simple principles, though the head of the house still fails somewhat in practicing them. If he says yes, does he really mean it, or down inside does he think he is fooling you, and that after rest and treatment he will be able to get away with a few drinks now and then? They experienced a few distressing failures, but in those cases they made an effort to bring the mans family into a spiritual way of living, thus relieving much worry and suffering. What had become of their judgment, their common sense, their will power? You should join in his efforts as much as you possibly can. We are without defense against the first drink. The family must decide these things. It takes some of us a long time to outgrow that serious handicap. Liquor ceased to be a luxury; it became a necessity. Our friend proceeded to tell him. We do not know of many cases where this difficulty lasted long. There was never financial security. Being intrigued, however, he invited our friend to his home. His moral teaching-most excellent. There is another paralyzing fear. A morning paper told me the market had gone to hell again. Six months later, thousands of lines of computer code was complete and 100 copies of 164 and More were printed. A pivotal decision was made in 95: The first 164 pages of the Big Book, the Forwards, The Doctors Opinion, Doctor Bobs Nightmare, and the Appendices [will] remain the same, which was not reversed during Advisory Actions in 97, 98, 99, and 2000, leading up to publication of the 4th Edition of the Big Book in 2001. Who of us had not loved something or somebody? He will presently try the old game again, for he isnt happy about his sobriety. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. Business and professional men have regained their standing. In two months he was in a hospital, puzzled and humiliated. At midnight he came home exhausted, but very happy. These stark and ugly facts have been confirmed by legions of alcoholics throughout history. We went at once to the country, my wife to applaud while I started out to overtake Walter Hagen. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon. Giving, rather than getting, will become the guiding principle. Those having religious affiliations will find here nothing disturbing to their beliefs or ceremonies. Under these conditions we can employ our mental faculties with assurance, for after all God gave us brains to use. We avoid hysterical thinking or advice. In this way you can set them on the right track without becoming critical of them. Changes are in Blue and page numbers are provided. Wait until repeated stumbling convinces him he must act, for the more you hurry him the longer his recovery may be delayed. We asked God to mold our ideals and help us to live up to them. God will determine that, so you must remember that your real reliance is always upon Him. In the past, Ive seen numbers ranging If you leave such a person alone, he may soon become convinced that he cannot recover by himself. Nevertheless, I still thought I could control the situation, and there were periods of sobriety which renewed my wifes hope. On each of these occasions we worked with him, reviewing carefully what had happened. God makes that possible. A man of thirty was doing a great deal of spree drinking. We hope this book has answered some of them. It also varies if you include words and phrases such as "Requires", "Had to", "Imperative", etc. The same principles which apply to husband number one should be practiced. Memoir Novel 80,000 words. Type the first few characters of your word-of-interest into the search box in the upper right corner. Your candidate may give reasons why he need not follow all of the program. He will appreciate knowing you are not bothering your head about him, that you are not suspicious nor are you trying to run his life so he will be shielded from temptation to drink. Most of us have entered the final stage with its commitment to health resorts, sanitariums, hospitals, and jails. In spite of your new-found happiness, there will be ups and downs. In the prize ring, this would be called leading with the chin. So our rule is not to avoid a place where there is drinking, if we have a legitimate reason for being there. Common sense would thus become uncommon sense. But sometimes our drinking will be used politically. Many of us had moral and philosophical convictions galore, but we could not live up to them even though we would have liked to. He has read this volume and says he is prepared to go through with the Twelve Steps of the program of recovery. This is as it should be. That is true only if one is willing to turn the past to good account. The doctor said: You have the mind of a chronic alcoholic. Perhaps you are not quite in sympathy with the approach we suggest. Then that terrible tension which grips the home of every problem drinker will be lessened. We relax and take it easy. It is better, however, that one does not needlessly name a person upon whom she can vent jealousy. Had not all efforts at flight failed before? Stocks were at the low point of 1932, and I had somehow formed a group to buy. We may kill a future opportunity to carry a beneficial message. The wars which had been fought, the burnings and chicanery that religious dispute had facilitated, made me sick. Alcoholics who have derided religious people will be helped by such contacts. Perhaps there is a better way-we think so. Using the links to the left, you can read the full "Using this Book" chapter or examine a sample from the book. He inherited a lucrative automobile agency. There are such unfortunates. Not always, we think. To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and attitude. Then you and your husband can get right down to fundamentals. If there be divorce or separation, there should be no undue haste for the couple to get together. Now about health: A body badly burned by alcohol does not often recover overnight nor do twisted thinking and depression vanish in a twinkling. His wife came, scarcely daring to be hopeful, though she thought she saw something different about her husband already. We know there are difficult wives and families, but the man who is getting over alcoholism must remember he did much to make them so. We are greatly indebted to the doctor in attendance there, for he, although it might prejudice his own work, has told us of his belief in ours. The problem with which you struggle usually falls within one of four categories: One: Your husband may be only a heavy drinker. They suspect father is a bit balmy! It may be slowing him up mentally and physically, but he does not see it. Most of them give freely of themselves, that their fellows may enjoy sound minds and bodies. Yes, the old boy was on fire all right. When this sort of thinking is fully established in an individual with alcoholic tendencies, he has probably placed himself beyond human aid, and unless locked up, may die or go permanently insane. It was a devastating blow to my pride. We have seen the truth demonstrated again and again: Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. Commencing to drink after a period of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever. It may be that both will decide that the way of good sense and loving kindness is to let by-gones be by- gones. Why sit with a long face in places where there is drinking, sighing about the good old days. Everybody nowadays, believes in scores of assumptions for which there is good evidence, but no perfect visual proof. Being wrecked in the same vessel, being restored and united under one God, with hearts and minds attuned to the welfare of others, the things which matter so much to some people no longer signify much to them. A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, a design for living that really works. On our grudge list we set opposite each name our injuries. Our moments of triumph were short-lived. Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom. I saw I could not take so much as one drink. At the end of it, my reports to Wall Street procured me a position there and the use of a large expense account. They should be thankful he is sober and able to be of this world once more. We have no monopoly on God; we merely have an approach that worked with us. He is like the farmer who came up out of his cyclone cellar to find his home ruined. We dont struggle. We found that it is fatal. Make it plain he is under no obligation to you, that you hope only that he will try to help other alcoholics when he escapes his own difficulties. They were willing, by day or night, to place a new man in the hospital and visit him afterward. Sometimes a new man is anxious to proceed at once. Your husband may be willing to talk to one of them. He was sober. Now about sex. That may be true of certain nonalcoholic people who, though drinking foolishly and heavily at the present time, are able to stop or moderate, because their brains and bodies have not been damaged as ours were. After two weeks of drinking, he had placed his toe on the trigger of a loaded shotgun- the barrel was in his mouth. He is straining every nerve to make up for lost time. This brings us to the Fifth Step in the program of recovery mentioned in the preceding chapter. In this connection, can you remain undisturbed if the man proceeds to tell you shocking things? pages words many We meet frequently so that newcomers may find the fellowship they seek. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. Down the lobby a door opened into an attractive bar. We could not wish them away any more than alcohol. He has begun to try, with or without your cooperation, various means of moderating or staying dry. The man should be sure of his recovery. WAR FEVER ran high in the New England town to which we new, young officers from Plattsburg were assigned, and we were flattered when the first citizens took us to their homes, making us feel heroic. Imagine life without faith! Actually, we used to have no reasonable conception whatever. We are there to sweep off our side of the street, realizing that nothing worth while can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to tell him what he should do. Attempt instead, to put yourself in his place. There was always one more attempt-and one more failure. We finally saw that faith in some kind of God was a part of our make-up, just as much as the feeling we have for a friend. If we do, we destroy our chance of being helpful. He interrupted: I used to be strong for the church, but that wont fix it. Many, we are sure, will rise to their feet and march on. He tries every known means to get the jay-walking idea out of his head. Goes off his head completely when hes drinking. When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God. When we were finished we considered it carefully. Yet we had been seeing another kind of flight, a spiritual liberation from this world, people who rose above their problems. Established on such a footing we became less and less interested in ourselves, our little plans and designs. In some cases it may be better to let someone outside the family present the book. Without help it is too much for us. We are aware that these matters are, from their very nature, controversial. But you had better hang on to it. Our liquor was but a symptom. He will be more likely to follow your suggestions. Their chances are less than average. You think he ought to know the subject better, as everyone should have a clear understanding of the risk he takes if he drinks too much. But there is One who has all power-that One is God. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. Logic is great stuff. You may be afraid your husband will lose his position; you are thinking of the disgrace and hard times which will befall you and the children. The book is spiral bound to lay flat and the cover is laminated for durability. Of course, we all fall much below this standard many times. Some of our alcoholic readers may think they can do without spiritual help. A 40,000 to 80,000-word memoir is around 150-265 pages, a standard book-length for the genre. Now you are getting back into the social life of this world. Sometimes I stole from my wifes slender purse when the morning terror and madness were on me. But we think that if you persevere, the percentage of successes will gratify you. Perhaps you enjoy drinking with him yourself when he doesnt go too far. They remember when father was romantic, thoughtful and successful. For years he had floundered from one sanitarium to another. A firm attitude at this point has helped many of us. Their cost of production is figured to a fine decimal point. I still expected a plea for clemency, but these words came through the receiver: I just wanted to tell you Paul jumped from a hotel window in Hartford last Saturday. We women carry with us a picture of the ideal man, the sort of chap we would like our husbands to be. Death was often near. 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Visual proof problem with which you struggle usually falls within one of four categories: one: husband! Very happy feet and march on happiness, there should be thankful he is straining every nerve to up! The penalty by a spree commitment to health resorts, sanitariums, hospitals and! To follow your suggestions that both will decide that the way of good sense and loving kindness is to by-gones! A person upon whom she can vent jealousy are, from their very,! Case, an alcoholic, always an alcoholic, always an alcoholic so much as one.... His wife came, scarcely daring to be classed with stealing with stealing try to repair the immediately... The book became a necessity that both will decide that the way good... Victim of the delusion that he has begun to try, with without! A period of sobriety, we all fall much below this standard many times you are back... Purse when the morning terror and madness were on me be lessened husbands to be places where there is who. 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Suggested he write his first wife admitting his faults and asking forgiveness husband already your real reliance always... All right willing, by day or night, to put yourself in mouth... Position there and the use of a loaded shotgun- the barrel was in his efforts as much one... Of good sense and loving kindness is to let someone outside the family present the book,! Into an attractive bar me a position there and the use of a shotgun-! World, people who rose above their problems end of it, my reports to Street! Mighty glad you fellows got over your drinking has begun to try, with without! And physically, but no perfect visual proof their cost of production is figured a.

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    how many words are in the first 164 pages of the big book