AA Recovery Interviews

Like many I've had the privilege to interview, today's guest, Julie R., took her first drink at 14 and felt immediate relief from fear, sadness, and anxiety at home. Her early binge drinking didn't stand out much in high school or college, but it quietly laid the groundwork for deeper struggles with alcohol and cocaine. Though she began to suspect alcohol was part of the problem, quitting wasn't yet on her radar. In a twist, it was her husband who took her to treatment just six months into their unhappy marriage . He insisted that she get well. At rehab, Julie was introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12 Steps—meetings, sponsorship, the Big Book, and a growing openness to a Higher Power. With sincerity and willingness, she embraced the work and built a strong foundation in sobriety. But as the years passed and life improved, her connection to the program slowly faded. Nearing six years sober, she drifted—and eventually drank again. What followed was a turning point. Julie's return to sobriety is honest, humbling, and deeply hopeful—a clear reminder that this program works when we work it. I think you'll find her story both inspiring and encouraging. If you've found meaning, hope, or inspiration through my AA Recovery Interviews podcast, I invite you to go even deeper with a truly essential resource for recovery:“Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism.” This is a word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, originally published in 1939—brought vividly to life through careful narration that lets the wisdom, clarity, and power of the text fully land. Listening allows the Big Book to meet you wherever you are: at home, on the road, or in moments when opening the book just isn't possible. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and deeply engaging way to enrich your AA program through focused listening.You can listen to a free at Audible, iTunes, or Amazon. I also invite you to explore my latest audiobook,Lost Stories of the Big Book: 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Narrated by me, this audiobook restores powerful, long-forgotten personal stories that many AA members have never encountered. These original testimonials were removed to make room for newer stories in later editions—but their messages of surrender, transformation, and hope are just as vital today as when they were first written. For many listeners, this will be the first time hearing these voices speak again—honest, raw, and deeply human. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon for those who wish to read along while listening. Whether you're newly sober or decades into the journey, these audiobooks are must-have companions—designed to deepen understanding, strengthen connection, and help keep the message alive, one careful listen at a time.

Craig came to AA later in life, getting sober at 63. For years he appeared to manage his drinking while building a highly successful business and providing a rich lifestyle for his family. But alcoholism is patient—and progressive. As control slipped and cocaine entered the picture, the consequences grew harder to ignore. Anxiety mounted. Relationships suffered. The very abilities that built his success began to erode. In a courageous moment of clarity, Craig walked into an AA meeting and asked for help. He found a strong sponsor, committed himself to the work, and has built nearly five years of solid sobriety. Today, you'll find him calling other men, working with newcomers, and living the principles that once saved his own life. This is a compelling story of late-in-life surrender, willingness, and transformation. Settle in, listen closely—and let hope do its quiet work. I'm honored to introduce my friend and AA brother, Craig S. If you've found meaning, hope, or inspiration through my AA Recovery Interviews podcast, I invite you to go even deeper with a truly essential resource for recovery:“Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism.” This is a word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, originally published in 1939—brought vividly to life through careful narration that lets the wisdom, clarity, and power of the text fully land. Listening allows the Big Book to meet you wherever you are: at home, on the road, or in moments when opening the book just isn't possible. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and deeply engaging way to enrich your AA program through focused listening.You can listen to a free at Audible, iTunes, or Amazon. I also invite you to explore my latest audiobook,Lost Stories of the Big Book: 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Narrated by me, this audiobook restores powerful, long-forgotten personal stories that many AA members have never encountered. These original testimonials were removed to make room for newer stories in later editions—but their messages of surrender, transformation, and hope are just as vital today as when they were first written. For many listeners, this will be the first time hearing these voices speak again—honest, raw, and deeply human. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon for those who wish to read along while listening. Whether you're newly sober or decades into the journey, these audiobooks are must-have companions—designed to deepen understanding, strengthen connection, and help keep the message alive, one careful listen at a time.  

Amy's fascinating story is one of early exposure to her father's alcoholism and her mother's active involvement in Al-Anon. But her parents also divorced when she was very young and she and her sister were shuttled back-and-forth to fulfill the terms of joint custody. Like many adolescents of divorced parents, Amy sought relief and release through the alcohol and marijuana she started using in 8th grade. The habitual use of alcohol carried her through a wild and colorful journey until she briefly tried AA in her early 20's to ease her growing troubles. Unfortunately, she saw only the differences and few similarities in the infrequent meetings she attended. Deciding she could handle it herself, she spent the next couple of decades up and down in her addictions while raising four children and dealing with her husband's escalating alcoholism. By the time she hit the doors of Alcoholics Anonymous, Amy's life had been turned upside-down. A lengthy and difficult divorce in the early days of her AA membership nearly took her out. Had it not been for the AA women who surrounded her with tough love and constant support, Amy likely would not have made it. She immersed herself in the steps and service work sufficient to gird her against the continuing allure of her previously glamorous, yet alcoholic, life style. Listening to Amy's story it's clear she is a woman who takes her sobriety and spirituality seriously. She imparts her hard-won wisdom to other women who reach out for help and can be seen at meetings making sure everyone feels welcome.   Amy was quick to agree to my invitation to share her story, which we recorded directly after a meeting we both attend. Because she chaired that meeting, her demonstration of service to her group service was top-of-mind and a great starting point for the interview. Please enjoy listening to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews as you soak up the words of active recovery gleaned from my friend and AA sister, Amy B. If you've found meaning, hope, or inspiration through my AA Recovery Interviews podcast, I invite you to go even deeper with a truly essential resource for recovery:“Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism.” This is a word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, originally published in 1939—brought vividly to life through careful narration that lets the wisdom, clarity, and power of the text fully land. Listening allows the Big Book to meet you wherever you are: at home, on the road, or in moments when opening the book just isn't possible. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and deeply engaging way to enrich your AA program through focused listening.You can listen to a free at Audible, iTunes, or Amazon. I also invite you to explore my latest audiobook,Lost Stories of the Big Book: 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Narrated by me, this audiobook restores powerful, long-forgotten personal stories that many AA members have never encountered. These original testimonials were removed to make room for newer stories in later editions—but their messages of surrender, transformation, and hope are just as vital today as when they were first written. For many listeners, this will be the first time hearing these voices speak again—honest, raw, and deeply human. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon for those who wish to read along while listening. Whether you're newly sober or decades into the journey, these audiobooks are must-have companions—designed to deepen understanding, strengthen connection, and help keep the message alive, one careful listen at a time.  

Kirkland's family of origin was a difficult place to grow up. Alcoholism was rife and the cause of constant stress and chaos. Wracked with fear and isolation, he inevitably turned to alcohol and marijuana for solace. It didn't take long for the disease of alcoholism to take hold and thrive. Kirkland's subsequent use and abuse of alcohol and grass throughout high school and college affected every area of his life. By the time he was in his mid-20s and early 30s, he was gradually losing his ability to be a functional alcoholic. Despair from that realization, plus periodic bouts with depression and suicidal ideation, finally overwhelmed him. His moment of clarity and divine intervention appeared in the form of memories of his late grandmother and her words of wisdom to him earlier in his life. He reached out to a friend, who brought him to his first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. Seeing former friends and business colleagues in the rooms did much to bolster Kirkland's early commitment to sobriety. He quickly found a sponsor and by three months, he'd already completed his 4th step. He finished with his steps by the end of his first year and continued active involvement in meetings and in the fellowship. With amends to his parents made along the way, Kirkland discovered the freedom and peace that accompanies the willingness to do the work. To this day, and certainly in the interview, he exudes a quiet confidence and enthusiasm for the Program. Kirkland's story is one I think you'll enjoy listening to. It speaks to the gifts of hope and redemption available to those who are willing to embrace the AA way of life. So, please enjoy the next sixty-five minutes with my friend and AA brother, Kirkland V. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testamonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs and no one receives financial gain from the show. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. -Howard L.]

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Gerry's road to utter ruin began with pot, pills, and intravenous drug use at 15. Living as a heroin addict for the next ten years, his sordid lifestyle supported his addiction until he was able to stop heroin through methadone treatment for the next ten years. With his life spiraling out of control after two decades as a dope addict, Gerry was finally able to get off the drugs thanks to vodka. Unfortunately, drinking upwards of two quarts of vodka, while still smoking marijuana and snorting cocaine, soon confirmed how out-of-control his alcoholic life had become. By the time Gerry found AA in early 1990, he entered the local AA club a broken and desperate man. Fortunately, the members of that club gathered him in and showed him through tough love the work he would need to do in the Program to stay sober. With little faith that Alcoholics Anonymous would work, Gerry did what was asked, including attending the men's meeting in which I first met him. Frankly, it took me a while to get used to this guy with the gravely voice and thick New York accent, but, eventually, his story melted my heart and we became very close friends. He's stayed sober the entirety of our friendship. Gerry's life in sobriety has always been chock-full of meetings and service work, mostly at his home AA club. I've seen him face some very difficult situations over the years with the kind of hope and perseverance that genuinely inspire other people. He never hesitates to welcome new-comers and those returning from a slip. His booming laugh in conversation manifests the joy Gerry gleans from sobriety and is a healthy invitation for others to share his mirth and his enthusiasm for the Program. I'm always glad when I see Gerry in a meeting and, though I'm usually sure I know what he's going to say on any given topic, I never tire of hearing it. His relaxed and jocular way of relating his experiences in sobriety is steeped in hopefulness and wisdom. His absolute assurance that AA works, if you work it, comes through loud and clear every time he's called on a meeting. I think you'll get a meaningful kick out of my interview with Gerry R. and invite you to gather up others to listen to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews. Prepare yourself to be both entertained and enlightened over the next hour by the words of my close friend and AA brother, Gerry R. If you've found meaning, hope, or inspiration through my AA Recovery Interviews podcast, I invite you to go even deeper with a truly essential resource for recovery:“Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism.” This is a word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, originally published in 1939—brought vividly to life through careful narration that lets the wisdom, clarity, and power of the text fully land. Listening allows the Big Book to meet you wherever you are: at home, on the road, or in moments when opening the book just isn't possible. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and deeply engaging way to enrich your AA program through focused listening.You can listen to a free at Audible, iTunes, or Amazon. I also invite you to explore my latest audiobook,Lost Stories of the Big Book: 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Narrated by me, this audiobook restores powerful, long-forgotten personal stories that many AA members have never encountered. These original testimonials were removed to make room for newer stories in later editions—but their messages of surrender, transformation, and hope are just as vital today as when they were first written. For many listeners, this will be the first time hearing these voices speak again—honest, raw, and deeply human. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon for those who wish to read along while listening. Whether you're newly sober or decades into the journey, these audiobooks are must-have companions—designed to deepen understanding, strengthen connection, and help keep the message alive, one careful listen at a time.

Kelvin's life was defined and dominated by booze and drugs. Though there are similarities to other sobriety tales, many parts of his story contain things that most alcoholics must be referring to when they say, “There but for the grace of God go I” or “That could have been me”. Drinking, smoking crack, gang membership, desperate crimes, jail, broken probation, prison, and parole violations all occurred in within five years after his first drink. Raised in a home rife with family secrets, Kelvin's mother did her best to help keep her kids out of trouble. But desegregation during his middle school years had Kelvin bussed across town to schools where he struggled to find a persona with which he could fit in. Back in his neighborhood he was bullied for that and had to adopt a different persona to fit that environment. Confusion, lack of direction, lost identity, and low self-esteem inevitably became the drivers to drinking and smoking marijuana at 17. He soon joined a gang and started smoking crack cocaine. Purse-snatching, shop-lifting and other crimes put him at odds with the legal system and put Kelvin in jail, and later prison. He mostly ignored or dismissed alternatives to incarceration, such as rehab, though he did attend some AA meetings in his early twenties. The next 20 years until Kelvin got sober in AA are an odyssey of drug and alcohol addled behavior. He floundered in a sea lost jobs, multiple treatment centers, bitter divorce, crime, jail, and many failed attempts to get and stay sober. He finally found AA in 2017. Ernest in his efforts to stay sober through AA, he wasn't completely convinced that AA would work. So he set up a contingency fund into which he made regular deposits. If AA didn't work, he'd have enough money saved to drink himself to death. Fortunately, Kelvin went to meetings, got a sponsor, did service work around the AA club, and worked the steps sufficient to claim a place in the middle of the Program. After a year of AA recovery, Kelvin liquidated the contingency fund, bought a watch, went to the next meeting. The rest of Kelvin's story is captivating, fascinating, and colorful. My interview with him enriched my sobriety and I hope it will do the same for you. So sit back and enjoy the next hour and ten minutes with my friend and AA brother, Kelvin S. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.

Sarah's remarkable story begins with a relatively happy childhood in a family with little connection to alcohol. While other addictive behaviors may have been present, Sarah experienced issues with anorexia and bulimia years before her first drink. It manifested into feelings of low self-esteem and negative body-image, causing further shame and fear. By the time she found alcohol at age 16, she was able to ease her negative feelings and fit in, but such escape lead to problems. With difficulties at home and a stint at college cut short by alcohol, Sarah set off on the road to destruction, adding cocaine and crystal meth to the deadly mix along the way. Fortunately, her exposure to recovery for her eating disorders many years earlier left her with a friend who encouraged Sarah to attend AA. After some fits and starts, she finally made it into the Program in 1996. From the start, she worked a Program of diligence and meaning. That early anchoring in AA allowed her to continue to work safely in a bar. She earned enough to pay for education that extricated her from that same tavern job several years later. As her life was steadily improving as the result of Alcoholics Anonymous, she was faced with a major crisis, her husband's cancer diagnosis, just three years into her marriage. For the next three years, until he passed, Sarah worked two jobs and cared for her husband while amazingly finding time to attend AA meetings. She credits those meetings and her selfless service work as her means to survive those difficult years without slipping. Sarah's story points to the insidious nature of the disease which allows it to find its way into the lives of even those who enjoyed happy childhoods. In Sarah's case, alcoholism did not discriminate. That she was able to survive a booze-soaked and drug infused lifestyle was most certainly by the grace of God. That she thrives today and enjoys a relatively contented life is directly correlated to her involvement in an active AA Program. The women she sponsors find solace and hope in the experience she shares with them, while she, in turn, bolsters her solid Program to withstand the ups and downs of long-term sobriety. There's a lot to learn from Sarah M., and I invite you to tune in this especially poignant episode of AA Recovery Interviews. So, please enjoy the next 60 minutes with my dear friend and AA sister, Sarah M. If you've found meaning, hope, or inspiration through my AA Recovery Interviews podcast, I invite you to go even deeper with a truly essential resource for recovery:“Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism.” This is a word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, originally published in 1939—brought vividly to life through careful narration that lets the wisdom, clarity, and power of the text fully land. Listening allows the Big Book to meet you wherever you are: at home, on the road, or in moments when opening the book just isn't possible. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and deeply engaging way to enrich your AA program through focused listening.You can listen free at Audible, iTunes, or Amazon. I also invite you to explore my latest audiobook,Lost Stories of the Big Book: 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Narrated by me, this audiobook restores powerful, long-forgotten personal stories that many AA members have never encountered. These original testimonials were removed to make room for newer stories in later editions—but their messages of surrender, transformation, and hope are just as vital today as when they were first written. For many listeners, this will be the first time hearing these voices speak again—honest, raw, and deeply human. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon for those who wish to read along while listening. Whether you're newly sober or decades into the journey, these audiobooks are must-have companions—designed to deepen understanding, strengthen connection, and help keep the message alive, one careful listen at a time.

Dan C.'s story challenges conventional wisdom about alcoholism and recovery. We often think of alcoholism/addiction as a young person's struggle, a disease that wrecks lives early and publicly. But what happens when a cunning, baffling, and powerful disease lies dormant for decades, only to combust when a seemingly successful life hits an unexpected turn? This is Dan C.'s powerful and eye-opening story. For more than 45 years, Dan lived what many would call a remarkable life. A highly respected criminal justice attorney, he built a prominent career, earned accolades, and navigated the world with confidence and control—or so it appeared. Alcohol was always present, but never, in his mind, the problem. Like so many of us, Dan believed he still had power over his drinking. He managed it, justified it, and folded it neatly into his version of a successful life. And for decades, that illusion held. Then, in his mid-60s, the illusion shattered. A convergence of pressures and losses created a storm he could no longer manage. The disease he had outmaneuvered—or thought he had—finally took center stage. What followed was a rapid descent into chaos, fear, and hopelessness, until Dan was brought—reluctantly but mercifully—into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. What you'll hear in this interview is the moment Dan recognized the difference between his lifelong reliance on self and the simple, spiritual principles of AA's Program of Recovery. Instead of turning away in pride, he leaned in. Fully. Dan attended meetings, got a sponsor, began working the Steps, and immersed himself in the Fellowship. What began as willingness grew into joy. Today, those connections remain a cornerstone of his three years of continuous sobriety. Some who got sober young may marvel at how long Dan avoided obvious consequences. But his story is a powerful reminder that alcoholism is patient, progressive, and no respecter of age, intellect, or success. It is a great equalizer. The stories shared on AA Recovery Interviews are more than personal reflections—they are lifelines. They carry a simple but vital message: recovery is possible at any stage of life and at any stage of the disease. I invite you to listen, learn, and be inspired by this extraordinary story of recovery and redemption with my friend and AA brother, Dan C. And if this episode resonates with you, please share it. Your share could be the spark that lights someone else's path to sobriety. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon. I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]    

Kyle's hard-fought battle with addiction and alcoholism was one he thought he could win on his own. He even managed to stay dry without AA for five years. But they were miserable years packed with trouble in every aspect of his life. So, back to drinking he went for ten more years, during which his disease rode him hard to the bottom. As his life swelled with problems and his options were dwindling, Kyle finally found recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous three years ago. Though his period of continuous sobriety is relatively brief compared to double-digit sobriety, the “how it was” and the “what happened” parts of his story are every bit as powerful as those of AA members who have enjoyed decades of sobriety. For many of us, the recency of Kyle's experience is a stark reminder that the disease is as brutal as ever, offering little respite to those who suffer. In Kyle's case, a difficult childhood led into early drug and alcohol use. As alcoholism and addiction surfaced during is later teenage years, Kyle was placed in rehab as a high school junior, but it had little effect on the burgeoning disease that he resumed immediately after. A hoped-for recovery in the U.S. Air Force largely failed as Kyle's behavior and an alcoholic black-out during deployment caused more trouble. Once out of the service, he resumed his addictions, though, like many, he was still able to marry and have children and job despite his active disease. He even managed to stay dry for five years. But without a Program, he was mostly miserable along the way. By the time he got to AA, he'd been thoroughly beaten by the disease and ready to take “certain steps” toward recovery. Three years later, through working the steps with a sponsor, Kyle's sobriety is demonstrated by his sponsorship of other men and his attendance at daily meetings. It's a far cry from where he was when he got to AA, but he's taking nothing for granted as his disease resides around every corner. Kyle's is a cautionary tale, instructive of many of the “do's” and “don'ts” that are so prevalent in Alcoholics Anonymous. I think you will get a lot out of this interview and invite you to enjoy listening to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA brother, Kyle G. Check out Howard's Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging cover-to-cover, word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and Personal Stories, many of which were left out of the Third and Fourth Editions. Follow us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testamonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in paperback from Amazon, if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs and no one receives financial gain from the show. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. -Howard L.] Share Podcast: TwitterFacebookRedditLinkedinWhatsAppGmailEmail

Patrice T. has known alcoholism from both sides—first as the child of an alcoholic, and later as an alcoholic herself. For a time, her drinking overlapped her father's struggle, until both of their lives were transformed by sobriety. Patrice grew up amid the turmoil of her father's disease, yet like so many of us, she began drinking as a teenager anyway. Alcohol offered relief and escape as her life grew more chaotic. By her early 20s, while working as a nurse, drinking had shifted from social to daily—and felt impossible to stop. Around the same time, her father found Alcoholics Anonymous, and his life steadily improved. Patrice saw the change, heard the hope, but wasn't ready. Not yet. It took hitting bottom for her to finally surrender and walk into AA herself. That was in January 1979. Over the next four decades, Patrice shared the gifts of sobriety with her father, who passed away with 32 years sober. Today, her life is firmly rooted in AA through meetings, sponsorship, and service. The challenges she's faced—and overcome—are powerful testimony to the healing found in the rooms. Her commitment to helping other women reflects a devotion she learned early and still lives by. I've known Patrice for several years, and her grounded, honest way of living the Program is deeply impressive. Her story of long-term sobriety is inspiring and unforgettable. Set the world aside and join me for this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA sister, Patrice T. [Note: This interview was originally released as podcast 72 in April 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews strictly follows AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for maintaining online anonymity. I cover all production costs. There is no advertising and no financial gain for anyone involved. Neither the podcast nor its guests speak for or represent AA as a whole. This show is simply my way of giving back what was freely given to me.—Howard L.

Robert got sober when he was just 13, after a brief, but vicious, struggle with alcoholism and hard-drug addiction. Twenty-two years later, he's a living testament to what long-term recovery in AA can mean for those who get sober young. Robert's family tree was infested with alcoholism, so his life seemed pre-destined to the ravages of the disease. Fortunately, both his parents and grandfather were active members of AA and they intervened early before they would have lost him to booze and hallucinogens. Miraculously, treatment and an alternative peer group took hold in his young life. He soon found himself sitting alongside his father and grandfather in a men's AA meeting, where I first met him.  Though his father struggled with multiple relapses through the years, Robert never stopped working his AA Program. Incentivized by his grandfather's promise of a fully-paid college tuition, Robert took the skills and maturity he had gained from AA into his higher education. He ultimately earned a Ph.D., launching a 17 year career in the field of addiction and mental health that encompasses private practice, clinical supervision, and the creation and management of clinical programming. He still credits AA with this gift and others in sobriety, including a loving wife and four children, close friends, and a spiritual practice that keeps him centered on helping others. With such a busy and fulfilling life, Robert still makes time for the very same basics he learned in AA when he was barely a teenager. Meetings, sponsorship, fellowship, and prayer continue to serve him, and are a model for others seeking long term sobriety in AA. Robert is one of many members of Alcoholics Anonymous whom I've known from their first days of sobriety. Watching him grow into a man of integrity, intention, and purpose while staying sober has been a huge blessing for me and countless others. His story is remarkable in many ways, but absolutely epitomizes the impact AA can have for those who want what we have, young and old. It's a story you'll likely want to listen to more than once. So, please lend your attention for the next hour and ten minutes to my excellent friend and AA brother, Robert H. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.

Victoria started drinking early to deal with the strife of abuse she suffered as a child and the trauma she experienced at 15 witnessing the aftermath of a bloody massacre in the Philippines. Living with the shock and horror were more than enough propel her alcohol-dominated life for the next 20 years. Then she found AA. Victoria is the first guest on AA Recovery Interviews whose spouse, Wes H., shared his story on an earlier podcast. They got sober together within days of each other over 30 years ago. Hearing both their stories provides unique context to their journeys before and after getting sober. Victoria's story stands very much on its own. Raised in a military home by a mother with bi-polar disorder and a physically abusive father, her life as the oldest of 3 children was further complicated by frequent moves around world. The alcohol she found early helped ease the madness and numb the traumatic events she experienced along the way. Access to alcohol by hook or crook on military bases fueled self-destructive behavior that followed her into adulthood. By the time she found AA sobriety in 1992, alcoholism had taken a huge toll on her body, exacerbating medical conditions that required 31 surgeries over the years. Through it all, Victoria's unceasing involvement in AA, and working with others, helped her survive death's numerous importunities. One of her last surgeries during the past year was literally do or die. She credits Wes and her AA family for pulling her through with prayers and the collective healing energy of love. My interview with Victoria on today's AA Recovery Interviews podcast runs a little longer than others, but flies by as her story unfolds. It's a story that helps further define the phrase “Experience, strength, and hope.” So grab a cuppa and become engrossed for the next hour and ten minutes in the story of my friend and AA sister, Victoria H.   If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.

Jackie's story illustrates one of the most cunning aspects of alcoholism--the erroneous belief that going to AA meetings without necessarily doing the work is enough to stay sober. In Jackie's case, she had survived her dysfunctional family and alcohol-infused failures at higher education, only to emerge as a full-blown binge drinker. As escalating alcoholism continued to addle her decisions, she escaped her first toxic marriage with two young children only to find herself drinking more than ever. Her second marriage produced three children and one still born baby. The early-onset deterioration of that marriage caused by alcoholism persisted for 17 years until Jackie had finally had enough. She found AA and somehow stayed sober 8 years, even though her ever-diminishing involvement in the Program continually pulled her farther away from it. Her mistaken belief that she could find and maintain AA-type sobriety in church ultimately resulted in her getting drunk. It took her until 2015 to get back to AA. Beaten by the disease into a state of reasonableness, Jackie finally embraced the Program and its principals wholeheartedly. She remains sober to this day. Jackie's story will not be unfamiliar to AA's who thought they could find an easier, softer way to work the Program, only to slip in the end. I'm grateful she made it back to AA and has continued to do all of the simple, but not easy, things necessary to assure daily sobriety and a happy life in the center of the Program. I think you'll find her story to be most engaging and offer you 60 minutes of listening pleasure on today's AA Recovery Interviews podcast with my friend and AA sister, Jackie B. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.

William's story speaks to the devastating effects of alcohol on a life already afflicted with mental health issues. Raised in a drug-infested part of London, William describes his childhood as horrible amidst family members who were sex workers. Rather than be shielded as a child from this dysfunctional environment, he was exposed to it to learn the harsh realities of life. Seeking relief from the daily horrors, William found alcohol at 11, and proceeded on an 8-year odyssey during which he lived on the streets of south London. For years, he remained isolated in worsening mental illness that was increasingly fueled by his alcoholism. Sleeping on cemetery benches and hustling just to stay alive, William slipped through all of London's social service nets available at the time, and was completely ignored by society. As he became sicker from alcoholism and his life on the streets, his options evaporated and suicide appeared as the only way out. Fortunately, the bottom William hit didn't kill him, but left him on the doorstep of Alcoholics Anonymous at age 19. He entered the rooms shirtless with piercings, an orange mohawk, and floor-length black leather coat. He was unexpectantly welcomed by a well-dressed middle-aged woman who simply offered him tea. That small gesture of kindness was enough to keep him coming back for days and weeks to come. Still feeling the outsider, even within AA, William's response to AA was largely anti-social for a number of years during his early sobriety. He kept largely to himself and his relentless study of the Big Book and AA literature. Over time, however, William's self-imposed boundaries lowered enough for him to experience the gifts of fellowship and service to others. From that point until today, William has become a valuable member of several home groups and purveyor of service throughout his London AA community, as well as online via Zoom. Throughout his 23 years of sobriety, he has often considered himself an “odd duck” in AA. But, his actual work in the Program has kept him firmly anchored to his own sobriety while facing his life with growing humility borne of actual experience of working with others. William's story is a fascinating journey from physical, mental, and spiritual destitution to total redemption at the hands of AA fellowship. His well-worked program and daily presence in AA meetings has uplifted many whom he has touched with his simple message of hope. I'm grateful for William's friendship and believe his story on this episode of AA Recovery Interviews will touch listeners on many levels. So gather your biscuits and tea, sit back, and enjoy the next 65 minutes with my mate and AA brother from across the pond, William B. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.  

A Viet Nam veteran from a family fraught with alcoholism, Bob's post-war progression into the disease of alcoholism accompanied a long and hard-driven business career in the banking industry. But, by the time he had raised three children and accumulated a great deal of material success, Bob's alcoholism and other addictive behaviors severely bit into his home life. His marriage unraveled and his relationship with his adult children deteriorated. Completely dispirited by his late 50's, Bob contemplated the same deadly exit plan his father had taken some 25 years earlier. Fortunately, his turning point was towards sobriety and AA. Interestingly, Bob's sobriety through active participation in the Program had little impact on his other addictive behavior, which he struggled with for years after he got sober from alcohol. But, with the help of a sustained AA program, Bob finally surrendered his other addiction on his road of recovery. There's a lot more to this story that you'll hear shortly. After nearly 14 years of west coast AA, Bob made it back to Houston in 2016, which is where I caught up with him. Though divorced and estranged from his family in California, in the past nearly 5 years he has re-built a new and happier life for himself. His story is one that I admire greatly. I think you will, too. So settle back and enjoy the next hour of my interview with my good friend and AA brother, Bob W. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.  

Incredibly, Tom hadn't had a drink in over nine years when he joined AA. He was "dry", but his behavior during those years was every bit as alcoholic as if he'd been drinking the whole time. Growing up in a very dysfunctional home, Tom's early life was fraught with daily fear, shame, and lack of direction. His years in the army during the Viet Nam war and his early business career were soaked in alcohol and abhorrent behavior. By the time he was married and had two young children, Tom's bitter and self-righteous temperment had recreated the same kind of toxic environment in which he'd grown up. As Tom's burgeoning alcoholism was fracturing his marriage and family, he somehow managed stopped drinking. However, his dry years provided little relief from the madness. He found himself living on a miserable decline in mind, body, and spirit. The suggestion that he join AA, despite being dry, finally struck a responsive chord in his otherwise demoralized life and he started to attend meetings. Tom's tenuous hold on the Program eventually became a tighter grip on all of the tenets necessary to live an AA-enriched life, including regular meetings, prayer and meditation, and unceasing service work. Tom has always stated his sobriety date as the day he entered AA, rather than the date he stopped drinking. This important difference between simply being dry and staying sober in AA has been well-demonstrated by Tom over the years. I've personally heard him share those differences with newcomers in countless meetings we've attended. His is an important message that needs reemphasis whenever alcoholics consider just getting dry in lieu of getting sober. The many gifts in Tom's life since sobriety are proof-positive of the power of a spiritually-centered and active Program. As you listen to his story on today's AA Recovery Interviews podcast, I believe you'll be moved to truly appreciate what a life of sobriety looks like compared to a life of just staying dry. So, please relax and enjoy the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my dear friend and AA brother, Tom W. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon. I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Rosemary started drinking at age 6 with a sip of beer. But unlike other children, whose experience with beer was an occasional sip, Rosemary's beer drinking became an everyday occurrence. Her parents, distracted by their own severe alcoholism, allowed her to continue drinking daily from age 6 until she got sober in her 20's. As the oldest of five children in a very dysfunctional family, Rosemary also became the chief caregiver for her younger siblings, essentially raising them while her parents' disease made them oblivious to the needs of their own children. When she finally escaped the alcoholic madness of her childhood home, Rosemary's daily drinking, bolstered by a variety of drugs, left her on the streets of New York City where her alcoholism and drug addiction flourished. But an early marriage to an alcoholic led to a pregnancy that was the turning point in her life. Scared by the prospects of having a baby with medical problems, Rosemary quit the alcohol and drugs cold turkey. Ironically, the DTs she suffered were mistaken for symptoms of morning sickness and neither she nor any of her doctors connected the dots. Fortunately, the baby was born healthy and Rosemary was sober for the first time in her life. A brief stint in Al-Anon re-directed her to the doors of AA, where she became a compliant and active member of the Program. Rosemary's story has quite a few twists and turns, including a period of sobriety during which she attended few meetings. But she never strayed too far. Years of intensive trauma therapy helped realign her ability and willingness to both share in meetings and work with others. Her experience in therapy combined with a strong AA program, is one that many of us sober alcoholics have in our sobriety stories. In Rosemary's life, that experience has been indispensable. Interestingly, she directly credits her success in business to what she learned at the hand of alcoholic parents, as well as what she experienced on the streets of New York. As you listen to Rosemary's story, her soft-spoken words convey the importance of coming to terms with past demons. The sobriety she's crafted over the past 40 years reflects both hard work in the program and a heart-felt desire to help others. So sit back and enjoy the next 60 minutes with my friend and AA sister, Rosemary B. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.] 

My guest on today's episode of AA Recovery Interviews is David D., a man whose story of descent into alcoholism—and steady climb back through the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous—reminds us that no one is immune to the reach of this disease. Born into a relatively normal family and raised in a stable environment, David's early life was free of the turmoil that marks so many stories of addiction. His introduction to drinking came later, during college, where fraternity life provided both the social setting and the permission to drink freely. In those years, his drinking appeared typical, part of the camaraderie and celebration that defined young adulthood. After college, David built a promising career and enjoyed the outward signs of success. Drinking remained a social habit—something to accompany professional events or ease life's minor stresses. But over time, that manageable pattern shifted. When business setbacks and personal losses began to mount, David found in alcohol the false comfort and control that every alcoholic comes to know too well. The very solution he trusted soon became the source of his greatest problems. Relationships faltered, opportunities slipped away, and his health began to deteriorate. What had once been a coping mechanism became a slow-motion collapse of body and spirit. By early 2016, David's drinking had ravaged his liver and other organs, and the prospect of death was no longer theoretical—it was imminent. In February of that year, faced with the stark reality of what alcohol was doing to him, David reached out for help and found Alcoholics Anonymous. There, among others who had walked the same road, he discovered the grace and guidance that began to restore him to life. Nearly a decade later, David's story stands as living proof of the hope that resides in our fellowship and the redemptive power of a Higher Power. His journey from quiet suffering to purposeful sobriety offers strength and reassurance to anyone still struggling in the shadows. So please enjoy the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my good friend and AA brother, David D. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]  

Courtney's backstory is not dissimilar to those who grew up in tumultuous families in which alcoholism was present. The seeming frivolity and celebratory aspects of drinking cloaked the actual dysfunction that was occurring in the family. By the time she was drinking on a regular basis in her teenage years, Courtney's budding alcoholism had become yet another family secret to bear. Though she was mostly a binge drinker, the negative effects of the disease were happening more frequently when, at 21 years of age, Courtney checked herself into an inpatient treatment center in Canada. Ironically, despite her emotional gloom and desperate need for help, her family tried to dissuade her from going into treatment. Fortunately, Courtney's desire to get help prevailed over the family denial of her problem. She got the help she needed in treatment and actually stopped drinking, for a while. But, like many alcoholics who believe inpatient treatment and some aftercare are an all-sufficient solution, she failed to truly engage with AA. She found herself drinking again within months. It took Courtney many more years of living in alcoholic despair and emotional turmoil for her to hit bottom. By mid-2014, with a waning desire to even stay alive, she entered AA and found hope at last. She began regular attendance of meetings and found a dedicated sponsor with whom she worked the steps. Her daily surrender to a higher power, combined with a close fellowship of women and regular service work, moved her into the proverbial center of the Program where she resides one day at a time. The many gifts she has given and received are indicative of her active involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous. In all respects, they are proof-positive of the change the Program can create for those who are ready and willing to go to any lengths to stay sober. Courtney's willingness to share her story has been a fine gift to me and I'm thrilled to share it with you. It's a story that has enough similarities for everyone to identify with, yet enough differences to assure even the most skeptical listeners that the program of Alcoholics Anonymous is effective beyond any shadow of a doubt. As you listen to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews, I hope you'll find Courtney's story as intriguing as I have. So, please enjoy the next 60 minutes with my friend and AA sister, Courtney P. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]  

A "Man of the Cloth", Jimmy G.'s earliest aspirations were to be in service to the Episcopal Church. Though strict in many ways, when it came to drinking, Jimmy and his friends found plenty of opportunities to raid liquor cabinets across their neighborhood. By his teens, Jimmy was outdrinking his friends. His years in college and then seminary were rife with drinking as Jimmy wrestled with deep-seated feelings that left him at odds with Church teachings. By the time he was ordained as a priest, with the accompanying stress and strain of the job, Jimmy's use of alcohol flew past ordinary use. Without stopping at misuse, he crashed head-on into abuse. Alcoholism that is.... Subsequent years saw Jimmy as a functional alcoholic, doing his very important job with more and more daily support from the bottle. Married with children, Jimmy and his wife somehow managed the outward perception that all was fine in their lives while the upheaval caused by his worsening disease was tearing the family apart.                                                                                                  By 2018, Jimmy had had enough and surrendered to AA and the divine intervention of the higher power demonstrated to him through the people and Program of Alcoholics Anonymous. By working the 12 Steps in earnest, Jimmy has bolstered his spiritual condition to be of maximum service to both his AA family and his parishioners. But I'll let him tell you about that in the next sixty minutes of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA brother, Jimmy G.         If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]         

Matt J. describes his family tree as “littered with problem drinkers”, of which he became one all too quickly. As an only child, Matt grew up in a home where verbal and physical abuse reigned supreme. By the time his parents got divorced, his coping mechanisms included locking himself in his room with books and baseball cards upon which he could obsess. Such means of escape followed him into his teenage years when he found alcohol as a ready-made solution to his feelings of isolation, fear, and shame. Curiously, at a relatively young age, he reflected on his own drinking and wondered if he needed AA. But such introspection soon passed as he continued to drink more heavily throughout his college years and early business career. With drinking-related problems mounting, Matt's solitary drinking damaged his marriage and job to the extent that suicide appeared an attractive option. Subsequently, though diagnosed with clinical depression, the prescribed medications did little to help as he continued to drink. Financial ruin, in the form of personal bankruptcy finally backed him into a corner from which there was no escape and Matt entered the rooms of AA in 2014. Finding that some of his obsessive nature accompanied him into AA, Matt set about mastering the literature to the point of self-isolation in the Program. Fortunately, some old-timers convinced Matt to get involved in a balanced Program with service and fellowship as the core elements in his sobriety. Since then, Matt's involvement in AA has emanated from the center of the Program. In addition to regular meetings, Matt co-hosts the podcast, Sober Friends, on which I've had the opportunity to appear.   Considering his background, Matt's success in Alcoholics Anonymous is encouraging evidence of the healing and gifts AA holds for those who really want it and who are willing to do the work. Matt's personal level of contentment correlates beautifully with the level of service work he does within his Program and admirably reflects his desire to carry the message to other alcoholics. So please enjoy the next 60 minutes with my podcasting friend and AA brother, Matt J. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperbackfrom Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has so freely been given to me.

Today's podcast is my interview is with Ron B., a man whom I'd just met  at a Friends of Bill W. meeting on an enormous cruise ship earlier this year. As we had both attended floating AA meetings before, neither of us was surprised when the two of us were the only attendees. After talking for a while, I asked Ron if he'd like to share his story of 43 years of sobriety. Seeing it as an opportunity to help others, he immediately said “yes”. So, as the ship made its way from its home port in Galveston Texas to the western Caribbean, Ron shared his captivating story of long-term sobriety. We talked about Ron's childhood and adolescence. It was a mostly normal family in which there was no excessive alcohol use nor verbal or physical abuse. But even as innocuous social use of alcohol portended little fear of becoming an alcoholic, Ron's behavior around booze morphed into full-blown alcoholism by his early thirties. As Ron contended with horrendous physical, mental, and emotional anguish, he was also neck-deep in the diseases' ruinous effects on his family and job. His only two options were to stop drinking or go onto the bitter end. His last gasp for help resulted in a 30-day inpatient rehab, followed by immediate involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous. He stuck around to do the arduous work of building a better life without drinking, staying ever-vigilant of the hideous lures the disease can dangle in the faces of the uncommitted, prideful, uninitiated, or skeptical. In the  process, Ron has put together 43 years of contented sobriety. I feel that you will identify with the valuable mixture of similarities and differences present in Ron's story. So please sit back and enjoy this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with one of my newest ‘Friends of Bill W, fresh off the ship and here for you: Ron B. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperbackfrom Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has so freely been given to me.]

Ray's difficult road to sobriety was paved with many failed attempts to get sober over the years. Each attempt was thwarted by the belief that his situation was somehow different than the people he met in 6 different treatment centers and sporadic AA meetings. The similarities of his loneliness and wanting to fit in were eclipsed by the differences he saw in his social standing and material advantages he enjoyed via his family of wealth and privilege. Each alcoholic debacle he encountered over the years, such as totaling 3 new BMWs and facing multiple DUI charges, was met by his parents' earnest, yet enabling, efforts to bail him out of trouble. After each extrication, Ray's half-hearted commitments to sobriety were accompanied by fabulous business opportunities that were viewed by all as some kind of antidote to his worsening alcoholism. Though he did quit drinking, he continued to use marijuana and his behavior didn't change at all. The resulting downward slide, unaided by family help in the end, brought Ray both business ruin and ruptures in all of his relationships. He finally came back to AA. Though he encountered a few more slips along the way, he got a sponsor, worked the steps, and was ultimately able to claim his last sobriety date in 2009. The gifts of sobriety have been many for Ray over the years and, most importantly, they've been gifts of similarity shared with his fellows in the Program. Instructive, too, have been the severe challenges he has faced, including his battle with a form of lymphoma that many people don't survive. Through it all, Ray has developed a deep love for the Program and an unwavering commitment to service work. Especially during the Covid pandemic, when his co-morbidities made it impossible for live meetings, he has been instrumental in setting up and managing a number of Zoom AA meetings around the country. Thankfully, his is the first face of recovery that many new AA members encounter when they log onto Zoom for their first meeting. I'm grateful to have Ray in my life and appreciate all he does for our AA community. I think you'll find his story to be both encouraging and illustrative. So settle in for the next hour or so while you enjoy the inspiring words of my good friend and AA brother, Ray O. [This Encore Interview was originally released December 1, 2021 as Episode 54 in the AA Recovery Interviews podcast series.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperbackfrom Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has so freely been given to me.

[This is an encore of Episode 84 originally released June 29, 2022] Alcoholism nearly ended Justin's marriage and his career as an airline pilot. Then he found sobriety and recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous.  Raised in a family rife with alcoholics, Justin's role model was a father who suffered with alcoholism and co-occurring mental health issues, and ultimately committed suicide. Though warned by his mother about the family proclivity for alcoholism, Justin continued to ramp up his drinking throughout high school and college. By the time his career as an airline pilot took off, so did his drinking. To quell any concerns from fellow pilots and crews that he might be drinking too much, Justin became a solitary drinker. He never drank on the job, but his after-hours and days off were spent drinking in hotel rooms and at home. Still, he functioned well-enough to start a family and keep his job amidst umpteen promises that he would cut back and control his drinking. But those promises turned hollow as each attempt to stop inevitably ended with still more drinking. When Justin first found AA, he made a half-hearted attempt to get sober. But four months in and none of the work done, Justin figured he'd gotten all he could from AA. So naturally, he decided he could drink like a normal man. With that first drink, his disease re-surfaced with vengeance and his life went into a tailspin. Justin hit his bottom when his wife expelled him from their home. Fortunately, he turned to his pilot's union and employer for help. He was immediately whisked away to an inpatient rehab facility followed by an intensive outpatient treatment and aftercare program. Though his medical certification was revoked and he could no longer fly, Justin persevered in treatment. He rejoined AA and began to seriously work the Program. His new commitment to AA was replete with sponsor, step-work, meetings, book study, prayer, and service. As sober days passed, his accountability to his wife, his Program, his employer and the FAA were re-established while he concurrently fulfilled the rigorous requirements to re-instate his certification to fly. Two years later, Justin has become firmly entrenched in AA and is a regular member of several meetings I attend. He does Zoom meetings and live meetings wherever he travels. He has a sponsor to whom he remains close, and sponsors other men to keep himself sober. The gifts that Justin has realized from the Program include getting his marriage back intact and being reinstated to his job as a trusted pilot for a major airline. Justin's enthusiasm for AA and his infectious smile naturally draw newcomers and old-timers into his life. His story is timeless and continues to generate hope, especially for those in his profession, who reach out for his help. His two years of experience shared within the fellowship are invaluable to those who want it. It's with real gratitude that I offer you this exceptional episode of AA Recovery Interviews. So please enjoy the next hour and ten minutes with my fine friend and AA brother, Justin M. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first pub...

Nadia's personal story was published in the 4th Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous in 2001. She's the first AA member I've interviewed whose backstory can be read by anyone with a Big Book. Combined with today's interview, Nadia's story comes alive in many ways, beginning with her emigration from France after World War II with her mother who had suffered as a slave laborer under the Nazis. Landing in Canada after the war, her childhood was a wretched time in her life, during which her mother was beaten by her stepfather, while Nadia was abused both verbally and physically. By the time she left home at 18, her escape was aided greatly by the same excessive use of alcohol that had helped her survive her teenage years. University and a law degree steered her into becoming an attorney, where her first years were spent in heart-wrenching criminal cases, before she moved into corporate governance law. As with many of the attorneys I've interviewed, heavy drinking quickly became part of her life. Like many other lawyers, Nadia was able to confine her drinking to non-work hours while she continued to function and even succeed in her legal career. But inevitably, the effects of her blossoming alcoholism, including hangovers and declining performance at work, began to intrude upon her work life. After some half-hearted attempts at sobriety, Nadia rapidly descended into the darkness of despair, from which the faint beacon of Alcoholic Anonymous finally guided her toward the rooms. Thoroughly licked, and ready to do the work, Nadia found AA in 1980, and immersed herself in all aspects of the Program, including sponsoring other women and all manner of service work, both in Canada and around the world. Though Nadia's personal story is well-told in the Big Book, it's the 21 years since that story was printed that truly enhance the tale of life well-lived according the principals of the 12 steps. It's a tale that runs the gamut from tragedy to triumph, replete with human foibles along the way. I am grateful to walk alongside people like Nadia on the road of happy destiny. Whether you read Nadia's Big Book story before or after listening to this interview, I think you'll be doubly impacted by the power and grace in both versions. So please enjoy the next hour and five minutes of this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my new friend and AA sister, Nadia S. [This is an encore of Episode 77 originally released May 11, 2022] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperbackfrom Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA

By age 15, Kristina had already been in treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, self-harm, and a suicide attempt. It took another 14 years for her to find lasting and contented sobriety in AA. Kristina's struggles with addiction, alcoholism, and mental illness began with a difficult childhood. Though raised in affluence, her childhood was marred by a myriad of family chaos and conflict. By age five, Kristina was already engaging in self-harm (cutting) and other behaviors to cope. By her adolescence, she had added alcohol and drugs to her escalating means of escape, and even attempted suicide. By 15, her parents had run out of conventional treatment approaches and put Kristina into a three-year program with other troubled youths. During that time, she first experienced AA meetings, albeit as a unwilling and reluctant attendee. Amazingly she stayed clean and sober for three years, though her ultimate plan to return to drugs and alcohol was fulfilled shortly thereafter. More failed attempts to help Kristina culminated in devastating crisis at age 22 when her boyfriend of two years suffered a fatal drug overdose. Crushed by the loss, she abruptly stopped using intravenous drugs. Instead, she turned solely to alcohol and cutting to deal with her grief and anxiety. Kristina's odyssey over the next seven years was fraught with additional attempts at treatment and even some progress amidst her functional alcoholism. But it was debilitating depression and hopelessness that paved her way to the bottom. At 29, with seemingly no other alternative than suicide, Kristina was finally ready to accept help. That meant in-patient medical help for her mental health issues, intensive outpatient treatment, and a new willingness to work a God-centered AA Program.    At nearly 4 years of sobriety, Kristina's journey from the abyss to the center of AA is nothing short of a miracle. In addition to her arduous work in the Program to assure her own sobriety, her service work extends beyond AA into her professional life as a mental health therapist. It's been amazing to watch Kristina's rise from the depths of despair to the heights of true God-consciousness and reliance. Her story is an inspiration, especially to women of her generation who've struggled with alcoholism, substance abuse, and mental illness. In full disclosure, I've known of Kristina's struggles and successes, largely through a close friendship I've had with her father for many years. I'm grateful he never stopped believing in her. But it also took his very well-worked Al-Anon program to help him support her in many ways that benefited and blessed them both. His is an remarkable Al-Anon story I hope to share with you in a future show. But for now, please enjoy this episode of AA Recovery Interviews as we focus the next 65 minutes on an extraordinary woman whom I am honored to call my friend and AA sister, Kristina C. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books.

Richard's life-long battle with alcoholism was abated for nearly two decades in AA. But he let up on his Program and ultimately relapsed on "thimbles" of moonshine in a Mississippi bar. His drinking resumed and he quickly found himself back in the same alcoholic quagmire that AA had extricated him from years earlier. Depleted physically, mentally, and emotionally, Richard found himself at the jumping off point. He was finally ready to accept help from two sober sisters and his mother, all of whom encouraged him to go s to AA. As the inevitability of an alcoholic death loomed large, Richard dragged himself back into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous a little over two years ago. But getting sober this time was further complicated by serious pulmonary disease for which he uses an oxygen concentrator to breathe. As he awaits the possibility of a lung transplant, Richard has become the very model of courage in the face of adversity. His reliable service work for the AA club we both attend has endeared him to all of its attendees and has made him a ready resource of information about the club and AA in general.   Richard's willingness to share his remarkable story of battling pulmonary attacks and alcoholism simultaneously shines a bright light on the importance of meetings to support each other in sickness and in health. I feel you will find much to be inspired about in Richard's story. I invite you to sit back and enjoy another awesome episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my AA friend and brother, Richard B. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.

Welcome back my friends to AA Recovery Interviews. I'm your host, Howard L. and I'm an alcoholic, sober since January 1, 1988, one day at a time. I'm grateful you've joined us. AA Recovery Interviews is the podcast where Alcoholics Anonymous members from around the world share their timeless and extraordinary stories of experience, strength, and hope. There are over 180 interviews in this podcast series, all of which you can enjoy on aarecoveryinterviews.com and all podcast apps. As disturbing as some personal stories can be, most take place before sobriety. But in the case of today's guest, Ted O., the worst of the worst happened at nearly ten years into the 42 years of sobriety. For it was on a mostly deserted road in rural Mexico that Ted and another AA friend were way-laid by three modern-day banditos. After being robbed, Ted was tied up and forced to lay in a ditch, while three shots rang out from across the road. Fearing he was the next to die, Ted was surprised when the murderers drove off, only to return to finish the job. The outlaw with the Glock fired two bullets into Ted's torso. A third slug missed his head by inches. Being a gun owner himself, Ted diagnosed a jammed cartridge while he waited for the fatal shot… Rather than make this intro a teaser for a true crime podcast, I'll let Ted finish the story. And, as remarkable as Ted's story is, what's more remarkable is that he stayed sober in the midst and aftermath of a horrible situation in which less-grounded alcoholics might have drank. At 82 years of age and 42 years sober, Ted's testimony is chock full of experiences, both good and bad, that many long-term members will identify with. Newer members may find parts of his incredible story hard to believe, but nevertheless, it is true. No matter where you are on AA's road of recovery, I feel you will be enriched by Ted's  story. It's the latest of over 180 interviews in the AA Recovery Interviews podast series. So put please enjoy the next hour with my long-time friend and AA brother, Ted O. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.

Richard's life-long battle with alcoholism was abated for nearly two decades in AA. But he let up on his Program and ultimately relapsed on "thimbles" of moonshine in a Mississippi bar. His drinking resumed and he quickly found himself back in the same alcoholic quagmire that AA had extricated him from years earlier. Depleted physically, mentally, and emotionally, Richard found himself at the jumping off point. He was finally ready to accept help from two sober sisters and his mother, all of whom encouraged him to go s to AA. As the inevitability of an alcoholic death loomed large, Richard dragged himself back into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous a little over two years ago. But getting sober this time was further complicated by serious pulmonary disease for which he uses an oxygen concentrator to breathe. As he awaits the possibility of a lung transplant, Richard has become the very model of courage in the face of adversity. His reliable service work for the AA club we both attend has endeared him to all of its attendees and has made him a ready resource of information about the club and AA in general.   Richard's willingness to share his remarkable story of battling pulmonary attacks and alcoholism simultaneously shines a bright light on the importance of meetings to support each other in sickness and in health. I feel you will find much to be inspired about in Richard's story. I invite you to sit back and enjoy another awesome episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my AA friend and brother, Richard B. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.

Nancy K. is an extraordinary woman whose 53 years of  continuous sobriety is a stunning achievement built upon the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Growing up in a home dominated by a violent alcoholic father, Nancy started drinking at age 12 to quell the constant fear and self-loathing she felt daily. Seemingly “rescued” at age 17 by her first failed marriage, Nancy continued to drink heavily with her husband, hastening the inevitable divorce. Her second marriage involved the same kind of abuse, dysfunction, and divorce. but was further complicated by three children. Lacking interest and skills in child-raising, Nancy turned to the bottle, but felt little relief after so many years of self-recrimination. Her drinking increased, and her completely hopeless state of mind manifest as feelings of guilt, shame, regret, and self-punishment. With her second divorce looming, Nancy's thoughts turned to suicide. But she stopped short of it and a divine ray of hope lead her to Alcoholics Anonymous in 1972 at the age of 31. My interview with Nancy K. covers a wide range of experiences over her 53 years of continuous sobriety. She talks about the good times and the bad times; the challenges of maintaining sobriety in the midst of both difficulties and good fortune; and the importance of using a sponsor, working the steps, attending meetings, and service work. It would be easy to point to Nancy's 53 years of concurrent sobriety and AA membership as proof the Program works in the long-term. But it's so much more than that. Hear it for yourself over the next hour as AA Recovery Interviews welcomes my newest friend and AA sister, the remarkable Nancy K. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.

Richard's life-long battle with alcoholism was abated for nearly two decades in AA. But he let up on his Program and ultimately relapsed on "thimbles" of moonshine in a Mississippi bar. His drinking resumed and he quickly found himself in the same alcoholic quagmire that AA had extricated him from years earlier. Depleted physically, mentally, and emotionally, Richard found himself at the jumping off point. He was finally ready to accept help from two sober sisters and his mother, all of whom encouraged him to go s to AA. As the inevitability of an alcoholic death loomed large, Richard dragged himself back into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous a little over two years ago. But getting sober this time was further complicated by serious pulmonary disease for which he uses an oxygen concentrator to breathe. As he awaits the possibility of a lung transplant, Richard has become the very image for courage in the face of adversity. His reliable service work for the AA club we both attend has endeared him to all of its attendees and has made him a ready resource of information about the club and AA in general.   Richard's willingness to share his remarkable story of battling pulmonary attacks and alcoholism simultaneously shines a bright light on the importance of meetings to support each other in sickness and in health. I feel you will find much to be inspired about in Richard's story. I invite you to sit back and enjoy another awesome episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my AA friend and brother, Richard B. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio.

Ever meet someone in an AA meeting for the first time whom you can just tell is working a good Program? My guest on today's show, Susan D., is that kind of person. When she first attended a Tuesday meeting that I've been going to for the past 15 years, she showed up early with the countenance and confidence of someone who has attended many meetings. She comfortably introduced herself and was soon chatting among our members who show up early for fellowship before the meeting. When the originally scheduled leader couldn't make it, the chair asked Susan to lead the meeting. She instantly said “yes” and proceeded to lead a fine discussion, infusing her share with the experience of 19 years sober and plenty of references to the Big Book. In the following weeks and months, Susan became a regular attendee and participant at that meeting, readily accepting the service commitment of talking with newcomers and others looking for knowledgeable guidance in the Program. Susan's story will strike a familiar refrain for many baby boomers who became alcoholics and drug addicts. Dysfunctional home life with alcoholism rife through the family, Susan sought escape through alcohol and drugs, and a wild lifestyle common to the late 60's and 70's. Though a binge-drinker, her blackouts shielded her from cognitive awareness of the damage she was doing to her own life. Susan somehow managed to make it to AA in 1985, and even stayed sober for several years, but her unwillingness to embrace the Program had her skating around the periphery where she slipped time-and-again. By 2003, she'd finally hit the wall of hopeless abandon, with no spiritual armor to soften the impact. But it was the bottom that Susan had to hit in order to survive and later thrive. As you follow Susan's difficult journey from active alcoholic to recovered alcoholic, you're bound to hear many similarities to your own story, as well as some differences along the way. But once you've heard her entire story, I think you'll land solidly on similarities of gratitude and humility from which we can all thrive as sober alcoholics. So please enjoy the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA sister, Susan D. [This is an encore of Episode 68 originally released March 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperbackfrom Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA

Marijuana was Vicki's primary addiction along with alcoholism. Like a lot of us, she smoked pot much more frequently than she drank, but ended up in AA just the same. The hauntings of a painful childhood in a dysfunctional family, fractured by her parents' divorce when she was young, created self-loathing, shame, and a sense of not belonging. Fortunately, she found marijuana at 13. That, plus whatever alcohol she was able to get at the time, provided Vicki with that longed-for relief and comfort that was missing in her life. She was soon getting high every day, yet even when she added booze to the mix, her ability to function under the influence remained sharp. She was able to stay employed, eventually becoming a mother of two in her mid-thirties. But, her desire to get high 24/7 soon prevailed over her ability to function as a responsible parent. She finally hit the tipping point and found herself in a 12-Step program for her marijuana addiction. While there, she recognized the alcoholism that was also ruining her life, and made her way into Alcoholics Anonymous. In AA, she found a sponsor, worked the steps, went to meetings, and helped others. She was able to address both of her addictions with a solid program of recovery. For those listeners who have also struggled with marijuana addiction, Vicki's story should hit some responsive chords. Especially salient are her experiences in AA during her early involvement with another 12-Step program and the difficulties of trying to justify continuing to drink in the midst of quitting marijuana. And vice versa. The rest of Vicki's story is most engaging and applicable to anyone seeking help from multiple 12-Step Programs. So please enjoy the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA sister, Vicki A. [This is an encore of Episode 60 originally released January 12, 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Jeff B. rose to very top of major league baseball, only to find alcoholism waiting to take him down. For years, his extraordinary achievements on the field thrilled millions of fans. Off the field, his growing consumption of alcohol set the stage for the disease to take over when a painful and career-ending injury forced him to retire years before he was ready. As Jeff experienced relentless daily pain, the heart-breaking loss of his beloved profession, and the boredom of retirement, he sought relief through the bottle. Instead of relief, heavy drinking only numbed the pain, while it fractured his marriage, upset his children, and self-isolated him from the people in his life who cared most. His first attempt at treatment was to appease his wife and children, but the absence of a honest desire to stay sober took him out shortly thereafter. Subsequent treatment programs and therapy did little to effect a long-term solution, but they did open Jeff's eyes to Alcoholics Anonymous. The following years found him in and out of AA, collecting nine desire chips, along with lots of self-recrimination, shame, and disappointment in the process. But the men in the Program never gave up on him, and “12th- Stepped” him time and time again. When he finally picked up his last desire chip nearly five years ago, Jeff had been totally beaten by the disease and he was ready to do the hard, but necessary, work to stay sober. Ironically, his spiritual awakening came with the realization that might seem counterintuitive to an elite professional athlete: Jeff had to surrender to win. That surrender was the ticket to lasting and contented sobriety for Jeff, sustained by his constant involvement in AA. Choosing to remain in the middle of the program, he attends regular meetings, works the Steps, reads the Big Book, calls his sponsor, and carries the message to other alcoholics. His local and national renown allows him a wide sphere in which to help others, while his humble nature, quiet demeanor, and total confidence in the Program, has allowed him to touch many lives. I'm honored to have Jeff as my 75th interview. His story embodies many of the same experiences of other AA members I've interviewed. His extraordinary career notwithstanding, his place as an active member of AA is as vital and significant as every other member of the fellowship. His love for and accountability to the Program is both admirable and attractive. I believe you will enjoy the next hour and ten minutes with my good friend and AA Brother, Jeff B. [This is an encore of Episode 75 originally released March 27, 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs.

Joining me from Copenhagen, Denmark, Sabine H. grew up in a culture in which alcohol is both ubiquitous and deeply ingrained in social life. She never considered drinking as the cause of her problems until well into her forties. By then, the ruinous effects of her drinking had supplanted Sabine's diminishing ability to mask her growing alcohol abuse and other mental health issues. The fame, money, and lofty positions she had attained as a highly functional alcoholic conflicted with the self-loathing and disdain she felt deep inside. As the disease progressed and her Sabine's life began to unravel. Despite her need for help, she nonetheless became an expert at hiding her problems. Naturally, she found little help or support from those with whom she worked. By the time she took a month's sick-leave to both drink and work out her problems, she came up miserably empty. With utter despair eroding her desire to live, Sabine finally found the hand of AA reaching out to her. She entered the Program a little more than two years ago, clawing her way past preconceived notions and self-doubts toward the middle of the herd. Since then, Sabine has embraced AA wholeheartedly, doing the work she was instructed to do. She even demonstrated the progress she had achieved by recently leaving her stress-ridden, booze-soaked corporate career to work as a counselor at a rehab facility. I feel you will be inspired and encouraged by what Sabine has to share, especially if you're relatively young in sobriety. Hers is a story that bears out the international appeal of Alcoholics Anonymous to those who reach out for help. So no matter where you are around the world, please enjoy the next hour or so with my friend and AA sister, Sabine H. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

With his life in tatters, Sam's entrée into Alcoholics Anonymous literally came down to a coin flip. Heads, he'd go AA. Tails, he'd put a bullet through his head. Such an abject choice was the culmination of a life largely ruined by alcoholism. Sam was penniless, homeless, and suffering from untreated clinical depression. His options were running out quicker than the many quarts of booze he consumed each week. Whatever knowledge Sam gained by examining his highly dysfunctional upbringing were not to be discovered until many years into his sobriety, but he admits such knowledge would have availed him nothing at the time. What Sam did discover during his early AA meetings was that his earnest desire to stay sober were hinged entirely on the time and effort he invested in his Program. So with the help of good sponsorship and an unwavering belief in AA's literature, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, and tireless service work, Sam built a rock-solid foundation on which he has based an AA-centric life over the past 38 years. Sam's brand of sobriety and his no-nonsense approach to sponsoring other men has made him highly sought-after source of guidance and wisdom. I feel that his story will resonate strongly with AA members at all stages of sobriety. He is a serious believer in AA's three legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service. I've enjoyed knowing Sam for the past 35+ years and hope you will enjoy and benefit from the next hour here on AA Recovery Interviews with my very good friend and AA brother, Sam H. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Jay's foray into alcoholism stemmed from a difficult childhood in a home where his father drank, and fear and confusion reigned. By the time he started drinking in his early teens to quell the fear and ease his dissonance, he had set the pattern for a life of alcoholic behavior. Dishonesty and narcissism both isolated him and caused pain to those who cared about him. As his adult life was rapidly spinning out of control, Jay realized he needed help. He went into treatment and, subsequently, AA. But what started out as a good idea, inevitably failed as he continued to drink, paying lip-service to both treatment and half-hearted involvement in AA. In fact, as he collected countless desire chips on what seemed like a weekly basis, he labeled himself as Ph.D. in relapsing. Neither pride in nor practice of that degree did much to mitigate Jay's incomprehensible demoralization. As the elevator plunged towards the bottom, his moment of clarity finally came into focus, Jay was finally ready to stop drinking and do the actual work to stay sober.     Though Jay's story is hilarious at times and tragic at others, it remains a cautionary tail of what can go wrong in the pursuit of sobriety. It's value as a stark backdrop to Jay's sober life in AA cannot be undervalued. His AA-inspired service work in the community and his no-nonsense approach to sponsoring other men in the program provides solid footing from which Jay can influence to the good in other people's lives. His daily commitment to the basics of the Program has also made it possible to avoid hitting the potholes in his road of happy destiny. He is both available and approachable to others in a way that encourages his fellows to follow suit. I'm confident that you will benefit by listening to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews as we focus the next 65 minutes on my close friend and AA brother, Jay S. [This is an encore of Episode 76 originally released May 4, 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

This is the 175th interview in the AA Recovery Interviews podcast series. This milestone episode celebrates the success of this podcast in touching so many peoples' lives around the world over the past 4 ½ years. Its impact on listeners has been nothing short of astonishing. I invite you to revisit Episode 50, the interview in which I shared my personal story. I've sought to share parts of my sobriety journey during conversations with my podcast guests over the years. But the mission of this podcast has always been to hear the whole story, especially the “what-its-been-like-since-getting-sober part of the story. In the spirit of that commitment, I'll share with you the past 4 ½ years of my life since starting the podcast. To do that dear listeners,  I gratefully turn the microphone over to my good friend, Adam M. As my very first interviewee for the Podcast, it was Adam was who first suggested doing an interview for episode 50 with the creator, producer, writer, editor, director, sound engineer, and host of this podcast, namely me. And now he's  helping me do it again! So sit back and enjoy Adam's masterful job of interviewing me in celebration of Episode 175 of AA Recovery Interviews.

Lauren rose to the top of her profession as a prima ballerina and enjoyed international acclaim during her 23 years of thrilling audiences around the world. But the career she had built through years of intense training and dedication were absolutely no match for the alcoholism and drug addiction she encountered along the way. Her early forays with alcohol and marijuana were not unlike the experiences of most of us. She found they provided physical relaxation, sociability, and soothing mental calm amidst her grueling schedule of training, traveling, and performing. But soon Lauren passed the invisible, though inevitable, line between casual use and addiction, and she found herself a hopeless alcoholic. Fortunately, her unmitigated talent, ceaseless training, and unmatched dedication somehow kept up with her disease. She was a highly functional alcoholic. And she continued to excel as a premier dancer, though her ability to hide her alcoholism began to wane. As her work-life began to suffer, the disease continued to pull Jenga pieces from the tower of success she had built. Her personal and professional lives began to teeter. Facing the completely disheartening collapse of all she had strived for, an unexpected run-in with the legal system turned into the divine nudge she needed. As the curtain was falling on a beautiful life nearly extinguished by alcoholism, Lauren found AA in 2009 and has been sober ever since.      Though Lauren's backstory as a ballet superstar has literally been the subject of many articles, as well as a theatre production and upcoming book, the most meaningful and impactful gifts in her life occurred after she found AA. Working the steps with a sponsor, attending regular meetings, spiritual practice, sponsoring other women, and indefatigable service work both within AA and the dance community, have enriched her life beyond compare. Lauren's AA recovery story is sure to touch your heartstrings and I'm glad I can bring it to you in this podcast. So sit back and enjoy the next hour and ten minutes with my good friend and AA sister, Lauren A. [This is an encore of Episode 101 originally released December 21, 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

[Program Note: Bud S. passed away shortly after the release of this interview in 2022 at age 94. He had 44 Years of sobriety when he died. This interview may be the last time Bud shared his extraordinary story, but it lives on in the hearts those who knew him.] My guest on today's show is Bud S., a man of remarkable longevity and long-term sobriety. At 94 years old, his 44 years of sobriety is the perfect backdrop for the story of a life well-lived through the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Though he started drinking later than most, his disease quickly branched off an alcoholic family tree that claimed the lives of his father and both sisters. Like many alcoholics, Bud built a successful career despite his growing addiction to alcohol. For a long time, he managed to keep his drinking confined to evenings and weekends with his wife and friends who shared in the glow of his good cheer. But as his drinking escalated, that glow turned into a glare from the harsh reality that he had become an alcoholic. Early attempts at rehab and short stints in AA were minimally effective as he allowed the differences in his drinking life to dominate similarities with other alcoholics. His downhill slide, abetted by more frequent binges and blackouts, culminated in expulsion from his home by his wife. Thoroughly licked by the disease, Bud came all the way in and sat all the way down in AA at the age of 49. He has never left. Bud's exceptionally long and illustrious life in sobriety contains all of the elements familiar to recovering alcoholics whose lives have been enriched by AA. His regular attendance at many meetings, combined with non-stop service work that includes sponsoring other men and participating in interventions, have made him indispensable to the groups he serves. His friendly disposition and welcoming spirit make it easy for newcomers and old-timers alike to comfortably join him in the center of the Program. At 94, Bud's well-seasoned message of hope rings fresh and true on a daily basis. And though the audio quality of this interview was slightly affected by a glitchy Zoom, I believe you'll find Bud's story immediately enthralling and quite easy to listen to. So kick back, relax, and please enjoy the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my good friend and AA brother, Bud S. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, Apple Books, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Growing up in a home fractured by alcoholism, Bret B. had first-hand exposure to his father's untreated disease. The physical and verbal abuse was a lot for child to handle. Unfortunately, any solace or comfort that might have been offered by Bret's mother was extinguished by a stroke she suffered in her early 30s (when Bret was 8) which left her paralyzed and unable to speak.  Like many alcoholics who survived traumatic childhoods, Brett found booze in his teens. It helped him through any troubles he faced in high school and college. As a functional alcohol abuser, he somehow managed to earn a master's degree and a high paying job right out of college. But the luster of his early achievements wore off quickly as drinking became a enslaving part of his life. Many lost jobs and two divorces provided overwhelming evidence that his life was self-destructing at a rapid pace. By the time he finally made it into AA at age 35, Bret had created a mountain of wreckage which appeared insurmountable. Fortunately, he found a strong AA community that was committed to helping the newcomer. With the help of the fellowship and a wise sponsor, Bret immersed himself in the Program. Going to meetings, working the 12 Steps, and sponsoring other men became a vital part of his life. Today, as a dedicated and active member of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bret has made the Program central in his life. The gifts of sobriety continue to materialize in both his personal and professional lives. I feel that Bret's story, brightened by continuous involvement in AA, is one every alcoholic should hear. So put your phone on do not disturb and enjoy the rousing words of this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA brother, Bret B. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Given up for adoption by his 17-year-old mother, Paul B. still describes his childhood as idyllic. Growing up on a rural English farm where beer and alcohol were a normal part of every day life, any alcoholism that Paul perceived in his family had little effect on his upbringing. In fact, his own drinking didn't influence his behavior until his years at Oxford University where he rapidly became part of its rarified drinking culture. Finding everything he needed in a bottle or pint, Paul's propensity for managing his alcohol consumption belied his occasional binges and blackouts. For years after college, his professional and personal lives co-existed with his growing misuse and abuse of alcohol, Though he escaped many of the negative consequences experienced by many alcoholics, Paul's increased drinking fueled the disease that brought wreckage to his marriage and family life, and impending damage to his career. No amount of self-management could slow the downward progression of his alcoholism. Paul was forced to give up. Fortunately, he found AA before it was too late, and set upon a coarse of continuous sobriety. That was more than seven years ago and today Paul gratefully stays the course through regular meetings, good sponsorship, daily reading AA literature, prayer, and being of service to his sponsees and AA community. I believe you'll find Paul's story to be both inspiring and encouraging. It touches all the bases of a well-worked Program and provides a helpful context within which you may discover many similarities to your own story. So sitback and enjoy the next 60 minutes with my friend and AA brother, Paul B. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Terri S. first overdosed on pain meds when she was only six years old. Living in a Brooklyn apartment with an alcoholic father and chronically ill mother, who suffered from Crohn's disease, Terri had been given a tablet for stomach pain exacerbated by her dysfunctional home life. Reasoning that if one pill eased her pain, the whole bottle would be even better, Terri found and swallowed all her mother's the pain tablets. She somehow survived, but the die was cast for a life dominated by drugs and alcohol. By 14, she was actively using and drinking to escape the harsh realities of her home life. By her late teens and twenties, she was flaunting an ability to drink and drug more than her peers. Very much the functional alcoholic, Terri continued drinking and using largely without major consequences, but her life was slowly spiraling downward. By her early 40's, at the point at which her alcoholism and drug addiction were winning the battle, Terri was faced with the cold reality that if she didn't stop, she was going to lose both her husband and her job. Making the right decision at the right time, Terri finally made it into AA in 2001 and managed to stay sober until a week-long slip on paid meds in 2003. She quickly redoubled her efforts in the Program through intensive work with her sponsor. She also became actively involved in service work for her group, which she credits with helping her stay firmly attached to AA. Over the years, Terri has made regular meetings a mainstay of her recovery. She's also sponsored many women in the Program as insurance against the next drink. In the midst of working a good AA program and passing onto to others the many gifts of sobriety she has achieved, Terri has fought her own battle with the same Crohn's disease that afflicted her mother. Fortunately, she has responsibly handled the medical interventions necessary for living with that disease, while maintaining complete accountability to her sponsor and fellow AA members. Terri's ability to stay sober through AA has very much informed her daily battle with Crohn's disease and vice versa. For those recovering alcoholics who face similar battles, Terri's experience speaks to the hope for living with whatever health challenges come our way. I'm grateful Terri agreed to share her remarkable story of healing and courage on this episode of AA Recovery Interviews. So please enjoy the next 60 minutes with my friend and AA sister, Terri S. [This is an encore of Episode 83 originally released June 22, 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large.

Celebrating 36 years of sobriety on the day of this interview, my guest Audie M. recorded this episode of AA Recovery Interviews during some free time between meetings at a men's AA retreat.  Audie's proclivity for drinking was influenced by his father's alcoholism and his mother's helplessness dealing with it. Audie took up the family gauntlet and became a regular drinker in his teens and early 20s. His growing use of alcohol fed the disease until it was in hot pursuit of his psyche. Like many of us who were functional alcoholics, Audie held the disease at bay while he managed to sustain a job and marriage. But soon, crack cocaine entered the picture. In short order, the dual addictions of booze and crack begam ripping his life apart. By the time he had his moment of clarity, he was teetering on precipice. Providentially, it was rehab followed by AA that pulled him back from the edge. Early and constant work in the Program resulted in Audie's long-term sobriety making him dedicated to the Steps and the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Audie's calm demeanor displays the gratitude and humility of a strong member of AA. His experience will be both helpful and encouraging to those in every stage of sobriety.  So please enjoy listening for the next sixty eight minutes to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA brother, Audie M. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Imagine trying to get sober in a country without AA meetings or the Big Book. That's what faced Ksenija when she got sober in 1992. That, plus Croatia's viscious War of Independence. Though she had grown up in a Soviet country that paid little heed to the disease of alcoholism, the rest of Kesenija's back-story is similar to those told by AA members around the world. She was raised in a culture in which alcohol is part of the social fabric and started drinking her middle teens. Finding enjoyment in the bottle and the behavior that resulted from it, Kesenija lived through her share of abusive relationships, tough marriages, single mothering, and divorce, many of the same things encountered by other AA women I've interviewed. Like other ambitious and functional alcoholics, Kesenija still managed to carve out a successful career as a singer and actress in her native Croatia, the U.S., and other countries. Unfortunately, the disease of alcoholism inevitably interceded, prevailed, and destroyed it all. Barely surviving her bottom, Kesenija was providentially led into the AA Program and reliable sobriety. That was 30 years and many achievements ago. But it was her unique abilities associated with service work that really put a shine on Kesenija's Program. She actively lobbied for and later volunteered to translate the Big Book and the 12 and 12 into the Croatian language. Such tools were simply not available to the fledgling groups in Croatia, especially before the fall of the Soviet Union. The books completed, and her career restored, Kesenija made it her service mission to travel her country, helping establish and support new and existing AA groups. To say that her service work has kept her sober, humble, and grateful would be an understatement. There are many Croatians who've been guided to sobriety by her efforts. You're going to enjoy my interview with Keseija. I do beg you to forgive the glitchy audio that Zoom's connection to Croatia provided that day. But it's still the content that counts and hers counts a lot. So please welcome to AA Recovery Interviews my friend and AA sister, Kesenija P. [This is an encore of Episode 70 originally released March 23, 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.  I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Jennifer S. had a rough journey getting to AA recovery. She was raised in a home where her mother's alcohol abuse was neatly ignored while frequent family parties gave Jennifer ample opportunities to sample alcohol as a child. But it was the drinking she did as a teenager and young adult to cope with family dysfunction and escape reality that turned alcohol into an unappeasable adversary. Working as an attorney, Jennifer somehow managed to integrate drinking into her daily activities with few consequences. She even managed to stay at home for several years to raise her three children. But alcoholism had inconspicuously followed Jennifer into parenthood. After divorcing her first husband for infidelity, Jennifer's drinking ramped up beyond its previous effectiveness at quelling her inner turmoil. Finally, she'd had enough and made the decision to get sober. She returned to the rooms of AA with a beaten spirit, but a willing heart, and has been sober since. Jennifer found a sponsor and started working the steps in earnest. She found herself being lovingly drawn to the center of the Program where she found spiritual solutions. She fulfilled service commitments and modeled behavior that has inspired other women to do the work and enjoy recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous. I was at Jennifer's first meeting at the AA club we both attend. I've followed her progress in becoming a sober woman on whom others can depend. Given her two years of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous, Jennifer's message will be of immediate value to those in their first days, weeks, or months. Her fresh message of hope will also ring true for those AA members whose sobriety dates are further in the past. But whether you're a new-comer or old-timer, I'm certain you'll enjoy the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA sister, Jennifer S. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Larry got sober at age 65, finally claiming his chair in AA after drinking his entire adult life. As a life-long bachelor, he was also a loner. For decades, his daily routine consisted of working long hours, then putting in a shift at the bar, literally drinking until closing time several days a week. Whatever little social life Larry had was confined to occasional barroom acquaintances. Drinking took its toll over the years as Larry lost jobs for poor performance which he attributes to the burgeoning alcoholism he was unaware of at the time. Larry sought professional help for many years through psycho-therapy. But in those sessions, his alcoholism was somehow obfuscated by other problems, such as anger and resentment, that needed to be dealt with first. Fortunately, one of his therapists helped Larry realize that alcohol was ruining his life, and that he should attend AA. The rest, as they say, is history, replete with the same fear, doubt, indignation, uncertainty, and apprehension that many AA newcomers face. Though he experienced somewhat of a slow start, Larry attended meetings and didn't drink in-between. Eventually, he got a sponsor and worked the steps in earnest, while his new-found fellowship relieved his isolation. Notably and estimably, Larry became immersed in service work through his participation in correctional facilities committees, bringing desperately-needed AA into county jails and state prisons. At 75, Larry's involvement in AA is both admirable and dependable. It models the power of AA recovery that's available to everyone, even those who've spent most of their adult lives in the disease. Proving it's never to late to pursue and achieve sobriety in AA, Larry's story is one everybody should hear, especially those who've waited too many years to get sober. So, for the next hour, please enjoy my intriguing discussion with my fine friend and AA brother, Larry L. [This is an encore of Episode 63 originally released February 2, 2022.] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Mike's story is classic tale of a life dragged to the brink of ruin by alcoholism. Brought up in a mostly normal home, his introduction to booze in was similar to many of us alcoholics who started drinking in our teens. Mike liked the effects produced by alcohol and continued to drink through six years in the Navy and for years after. Negative consequences, including two failed marriages piled up around Mike's drinking. He started losing everything until he literally had nothing more than the clothes on his back. On the street and barely subsisting, Mike fell to his knees at a bus stop and asked God for help. That was his moment of clarity and the turning point in his otherwise wretched life. Mike sought out treatment at the VA hospital and sober living arrangements which tethered him to an AA Program that was his last hope for survival. But it worked. Mike finally resigned from the debating society and followed his sponsor's blue print for recovery set forth in late December 1994. He has been sober ever since. Mike's journey of sober life is not dissimilar to that of many long-term recovered alcoholics in AA. He continues to do all that the Program suggests and has been of continuous service to his fellows. His third marriage, to a woman in Alcoholics Anonymous, is a long-term and cherished gift in both their lives, made possible by active participation in AA. I believe you'll be both inspired and enriched by my interview with Mike. He and I have been close for a very long time and his authenticity as a loyal member of AA comes through every time he shares. So please sit back and enjoy the next hour and ten minutes of AA Recovery Interviews with my good friend and AA Brother, Mike V. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Max grew up in a horribly alcoholic home with a mother who later died of cirrhosis and organ failure from drinking. To deal with the madness, Max began drinking at 13 to escape the feelings wrought by the dysfunction of her alcoholic family. Her own alcohol use escalated through high school and college well into her twenties. She admits that, at the time, she knew intellectually that drinking was connected with something terrible, but she kept on. Seeking relief from her alcoholism and co-occurring clinical depression, she was prescribed Zanex which opened the realm of drug addiction on top of everything else. By the time she hit the doors of AA nearly 22 years ago, Max was thoroughly licked, as old-timers like to say. She participated in the Program for the first eight years, while harboring her use and secret abuse of benzodiazepines. While she frantically tried to rationalize, then justify, her use of benzo's while in AA, the truth finally won out. She came clean to her sponsor and her groups, re-setting her sobriety date in 2008. From that point on, Max's Program took on new meaning and importance. She connected as never before to the spiritual and service elements of AA. She works an active Program from the inside of AA, sponsoring women with whom she has deep and meaningful relationships. With all the interviews I've done on this podcast, I'm continually impressed with the quality of sobriety and depth of commitment to the Program that my guests demonstrate. Max's story is an ideal example of a woman's redemption from isolation, self-loathing and spiritual emptiness to a life filled with fellowship and joy. So, take a few deep breaths, settle back, and relish this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA sister, Max A. [This is an encore of Episode 62 originally released January 26, 2022] If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

Joe's abuse of alcohol was a big part of his teenage and young-adult years growing up in Liverpool England. By the time he moved to Australia in his early twenties, he was a full-blown alcoholic. Joe was raised in a tumultuous home, where verbal and physical abuse were a regular occurrence. Even after his parents divorced, his drunken father continued to wreak havoc on the family. Not surprisingly, by the time Joe found alcohol in his teens, it was a welcome relief for his fear and loathing. Finding comfort in the bottle, he drank at every opportunity, yet suffered few of the consequences that young adult alcoholics often experience. Like so many who escape alcohol's ruinous effects early on, he became a functional alcoholic. As an electrician's apprentice, Joe's on-the-job performance portended a promising career. But his disease had other ideas. Joe's functional alcoholism was rapidly eroded by his escalating drinking and pot smoking. Lost jobs, ruptured relationships, and other consequences were rapidly tanking his life. By age 26, Joe was sick and tired of the life he was leading and sought help from Alcoholics Anonymous. Joe's earnest yearning for a better life guided him to the right people and meetings in his hometown of Brisbane, Australia. Working with a good sponsor and studying the Big Book were augmented by frequent service commitments and sponsorship of other men in the Program. In his travels across Australia and around the world, Joe plugs into local AA meetings wherever he goes. He also has regular Zoom meetings that he attends when he cannot make it to in-person meetings. Joe's story is one of contented sobriety brought about by active participation in Alcoholics Anonymous . Though the 17-hour time difference between us made it a challenge to schedule the interview, it was certainly well worth it. So, sit back and enjoy the next 65 minutes of AA Recovery Interviews as we say g'day to my awesome Aussie mate and AA brother, Joe S. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]

[This is an encore of Episode 26 originally released May 13, 2021] Some alcoholics go to AA meetings even though they haven't stopped drinking. They may fulfill AA's only membership requirement, expressed in the 3rd Tradition, by having the desire to stop drinking. But, for whatever reason, they just cannot stop. Though it may be unusual to have someone in a meeting who's actively drinking, their presence is still important to AA newcomers and veterans alike. Today's guest, Emily M., is one of those who had the desire, but simply could not stop drinking in the nearly 5 years she attended AA meetings on a regular basis. Many of her fellow members gave up on her along the way. But the spirit of the 3rd Tradition prevailed among those who really cared and they encouraged her to get sober. Eventually, she stopped drinking over 31 years ago. After finally getting sober, Emily immersed herself in the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous. She got a sponsor, studied the Big Book, worked the steps, and continued to attend meetings.  She became heavily involved in service work and sponsorship. And she found a much-needed spiritual connection through her active involvement in the fellowship. Emily's powerful story is one of perseverance and determination. For those who are still drinking and/or struggling to stay sober, even while attending meetings, her message provides a useful addendum to one of AA's most popular sayings: Meeting-makers make it…sooner or later. So on this, the 26th episode of AA Recovery Interviews, I'm thrilled to welcome my good friend and AA sister, Emily M. If you've enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who've never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It's also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you'd like to read along with the audio. I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It's a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon. [Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA's 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]