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The Steps We Took by Joe McQ
The words of this book's title are said aloud every day by thousands of people meeting together to help each other recover from addictions. The addictions may be to alcohol or cocaine, gambling or food, violence or sex and love, but the path to recovery is the same. This is a book of plain-spoken wisdom for people with addictions and people who love them. Joe McQ has been a student of the Twelve Steps for twenty-eight years. He, like tens of thousands of others, lives them every day, one day at a time. In The Steps We Took, Joe takes us through them, one Step at a time, and helps us understand how they work―and how they can change our lives.
Unknown Binding
First published December 1, 1990
230 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 29, 2013
I read somewhere that when Bill W., the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous and author of its eponymous handbook (aka the "Big Book") wrote the first draft, it was somewhere between two to three times as long. After his fellows pointed out that the main audience for this book were habitual drunks and that they would be reading this book (if they could be induced to read it at all) with scrambled brains, Bill and the editorial team managed to get it whittled down to the size it basically remains today.
Everything you need to understand the Steps is in the Big Book, but they reveal their intricacies rather slowly this way (even with help from people further down the path). Hence the proliferation of workshops and study groups around working and understanding the material well enough to apply it to one's actual life.
Joe McQ and Charlie W co-led a legendary Big Book workshop for many years. This book does not contain the exact contents of the workshop—those are available elsewhere online, or through that one Guy Who Knows a Guy—but does lay out the theories behind the Steps and how to work them in a terrifically clear and simple fashion. It's not official 12-step literature (i.e., approved by the AA Conference), but it's the best explanation of the Steps I've seen. Whether you have a loved one in program, are working the Steps yourself, or both (lucky you!), you're bound to come away with a richer, more nuanced understanding of the principles that support these amazing programs, and how they are best applied.
Everything you need to understand the Steps is in the Big Book, but they reveal their intricacies rather slowly this way (even with help from people further down the path). Hence the proliferation of workshops and study groups around working and understanding the material well enough to apply it to one's actual life.
Joe McQ and Charlie W co-led a legendary Big Book workshop for many years. This book does not contain the exact contents of the workshop—those are available elsewhere online, or through that one Guy Who Knows a Guy—but does lay out the theories behind the Steps and how to work them in a terrifically clear and simple fashion. It's not official 12-step literature (i.e., approved by the AA Conference), but it's the best explanation of the Steps I've seen. Whether you have a loved one in program, are working the Steps yourself, or both (lucky you!), you're bound to come away with a richer, more nuanced understanding of the principles that support these amazing programs, and how they are best applied.
April 24, 2016
One of the best books on the twelve steps there is - by Joe of the "Joe and Charlie" tapes fame. Really makes the 12 steps understandable and breaks each one into simple (though not always easy) actions to take. I love this book!
February 10, 2013
The Steps We Took by Joe McQ
This is a real good book to help someone that is in recovery work the 12 steps. Joe shares his experience, strength and hope with all those recovering from addictions, all who want to recover, and all who love them.
This is an easy to read and simple to understand book. This is why I was drawn to the book. The style is easy to follow. I have only one complaint and it really nothing to do with Joe at all. My sponsor noticed that the book was not published by Hazelton which means it is not an AA approved book. I had no idea that there was a difference and now that I know I’m including that information here so you will know too.
This is a real good book to help someone that is in recovery work the 12 steps. Joe shares his experience, strength and hope with all those recovering from addictions, all who want to recover, and all who love them.
This is an easy to read and simple to understand book. This is why I was drawn to the book. The style is easy to follow. I have only one complaint and it really nothing to do with Joe at all. My sponsor noticed that the book was not published by Hazelton which means it is not an AA approved book. I had no idea that there was a difference and now that I know I’m including that information here so you will know too.
October 11, 2008
Fabulous, Joe 6 pack version of the steps. The break it down so that you have everyday examples and explanations of the 12 steps of recovery.
February 5, 2022
Very helpful and informative.
Read
November 22, 2023"Change actually begins with surrender, because you can't see another alternative until you surrender your way of doing things" (33).
"Most of our troubles stem from spiritual sickness; and this spiritual sickness is nothing more or less than being blocked off from God by some fear, resentment, guilt, or remorse caused by self-will" (43).
"Surrender means giving up; it means you don't have to fight anymore" (49).
"Insanity is inability to see the truth. Sanity is ability to see the truth. An inventory is a tool to enable us to see the truth. The truth will set us free" (65).
"We were created free, and we have done this job of tangling things up all by ourselves. And now we blame it on others. We have worked at it for years, winding ourselves up into this thing. Freedom takes work; freedom takes responsibility. When you say 'this is my problem,' you take responsibility. But it takes a little work, a little pain to admit that" (83).
"Sometimes getting self-awareness is painful. We've heard it said that the truth will make you free, but at first it will most likely make you miserable!" (89).
"The Steps of this program have enabled me to uncover, discover, and discard. It's a program of getting rid of things to get down to what we want. It's not a program of getting anything. It's a program of getting rid of things: uncovering, discovering, and discarding" (102).
"We need to ask ourselves: Am I being selfish? Am I being self-seeking? Am I being dishonest? Am I being inconsiderate? Am I being fearful?" (126).
"The excitement of recovery is that it goes on forever. A person who is in a growth pattern can look back on his life every so often, and see that he is living in a world he didn't live in even a year before" (132).
"Most of our troubles stem from spiritual sickness; and this spiritual sickness is nothing more or less than being blocked off from God by some fear, resentment, guilt, or remorse caused by self-will" (43).
"Surrender means giving up; it means you don't have to fight anymore" (49).
"Insanity is inability to see the truth. Sanity is ability to see the truth. An inventory is a tool to enable us to see the truth. The truth will set us free" (65).
"We were created free, and we have done this job of tangling things up all by ourselves. And now we blame it on others. We have worked at it for years, winding ourselves up into this thing. Freedom takes work; freedom takes responsibility. When you say 'this is my problem,' you take responsibility. But it takes a little work, a little pain to admit that" (83).
"Sometimes getting self-awareness is painful. We've heard it said that the truth will make you free, but at first it will most likely make you miserable!" (89).
"The Steps of this program have enabled me to uncover, discover, and discard. It's a program of getting rid of things to get down to what we want. It's not a program of getting anything. It's a program of getting rid of things: uncovering, discovering, and discarding" (102).
"We need to ask ourselves: Am I being selfish? Am I being self-seeking? Am I being dishonest? Am I being inconsiderate? Am I being fearful?" (126).
"The excitement of recovery is that it goes on forever. A person who is in a growth pattern can look back on his life every so often, and see that he is living in a world he didn't live in even a year before" (132).
October 18, 2017
I felt like a fraud for a long time because I did not feel like I completed my action steps. I started to read this book. In less than a month got a new sponsor and we discussed Joe's book while I completed my steps. It has helped me see the steps in a much brighter light. I met Joe twice and have a lot of his talks. Visit his memorial page on the Internet.
May 11, 2014
Really informative. Good stuff.
August 19, 2017
Another useful one for sponsees too.
October 25, 2017
Excellent book!
August 7, 2023
For anyone in recovery, this is a game changer
December 26, 2023
An interesting, foundational book; very useful
Although I am an NA person, and a “ecstatic agnostic” (my term) this very old-school book had a lot of ideas I found fresh, cool, and creative. Enjoy!!
Although I am an NA person, and a “ecstatic agnostic” (my term) this very old-school book had a lot of ideas I found fresh, cool, and creative. Enjoy!!
February 9, 2024
My Sponsor had me read this book and go through the Big Book. It was amazing.
June 12, 2025
3.6 ⭐️ worth a read for anyone in recovery
September 30, 2014
Helpful
A good supplement to the big book. Joe give page number references to use the big book and follow along with this step guide.
A good supplement to the big book. Joe give page number references to use the big book and follow along with this step guide.
January 21, 2015
Sarah Erickson's suggestion... A good one.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews