Pass It On: The Story of Bill Wilson and How the A. A. Message Reached the World

by Alcoholics Anonymous

The story of Bill Wilson and how the A.A. message reached the world.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Self Help, Addiction

427 pages

First published December 1, 1984

Reviews

[Zach Lues · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever I will be indebted to the old timers. Forever I will pass on the message that was so freely given to me. Until my contribution is final, I will carry the message.

Thank you Bill, I love you brother.

"You see, “alcohol” in Latin is “spiritus” and you use the same word for the highest religious experience as well as for the most depraving poison. The helpful formula therefore is: spiritus contra spiritum." - C.G. Yung

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, miracle upon miracle.

[Oruiz64]

Originalmente pensé que Bill Wison tuvo alguna filiación con el Arte Real, esta obra detalla que el movimiento AA proviene de los Grupos Oxford.

[Karla Osorno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a familiar name and organization. Bill Wilson, one of the cofounders of AA along with Robert “Dr Bob” Smith, is less commonly known today. This book is the story of Bill, the history of AA, and how the message has been passed along.

AA World Services wrote and published the book. Much of it is direct quotes from Bill, his wife Lois, and other AA members. It was important for the message to be communicated to the world. Books were one vehicle. The quality of the content is excellent. And the writing is engaging.

I picked the book up wanting to confirm a rumor I heard that Bill Wilson worked with others on treating alcoholism and schizophrenia with LSD and other chemical substances. He did but pulled away from the experiments to protect AA and its mission. I was so captivated by the story told in this book that I kept reading and reading. My answers came at the 90% mark and it was well worth it. If you have an interest in understanding the disease of alcoholism or a personal connection to alcoholism, this is a great book for you.

[Jenny Byers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed this book from a dear friend. Started reading it after yet another news story was talking about Bill using psychedelic drugs. Reading it was a delight. I got a much clearer idea of who he was, and what he went through both before he sobered up and as he became the voice of AA. I was especially moved by his battle with deep depression. He was not a saint, but he was a visionary with strong faith in what he believed in, and in the program he co-founded.

[Jenny J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provided me with so many stories and details into Bill’s dreams for AA. He devoted much of his life to oversee that AA not only remain a stable entity but also that it be self-supporting by its members so that it would endure and thrive for the good of alcoholics everywhere. Pretty interesting.

[Jen Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It was so insightful to read about how the AA program came to be. I was so interested in the story of Bill Wilson. His character and dynamic personality. The revelation it took to create this program that has changed so many lives. I was grateful that I stumbled on this book.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

More details on Bill W.'s life than I ever imagined would be told. Details of the suffering Bill and Lois had to endure pre- and post AA are offered up for the reader. I great book for anyone to read who wants to know more about Bill and the origins of the AA movement.

[Kenley Neufeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring. Amazing story of the man Bill Wilson and the creation of a worldwide movement.

[Yves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that has impacted many other stories.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and readable biography of one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[Jason Bickford · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bill Wilson never got sober or even worked a program. He switched his drug of choice from booze to unfamiliar women in early recovery. He was a self centered 13th stepper. He also enjoyed a nice sobriety break while tripping on LSD so much his wife and Dr. Bob had to perform an intervention. That is why I take little stock in Bill's thoughts on the program he plagiarized outright from the Oxford Group. AA's grounding in Christianity and its dogmatic requirement to commune with a God also known in the Twelve Steps as Him with a capital H, while celebrating the end of thinking (they make this clear in the chapter to the agnostics before the meat and potatoes of the main text even begins), is why practical thinking non believers and Bill Wilson biographers alike can't stomach this stuff for very long. Though the idea that men actually talking about their problems could help said problems was probably revolutionary in the 30's when this was first published. Two stars for that and effort."Spontaneous recovery" or just plain growing up and not being drug dependent anymore happens statistically more often than folks getting even a one year coin. AA has the worst sucess rate in all of medicine at maybe 3-4%. This is denied or ignored by folks in AA, a program so obviously in denial about it's impotence and religiosity it's comical. I love how you folks tell me a higher power can be a door knob or a tree or whatever I want when your 12 steps plainly point out that God is a Him, and you need to ask him favors. I also like how your supposed to be ready to have your imperfections removed by God. How's that one coming along? Perfect yet? Wake up- it's the people who help keep other people sober, not a higher power. It's about people helping others . When Bill W. rushed into that church in Akron 80 years ago he wanted a priest not because he wanted communion with a higher power, he wanted privacy and discretion. So he was turned to a doctor, a man of science and practical thought. They talked, Bill didn't drink, and AA was born. It had nothing to do with God at that church in that phone booth, it was about people helping people. That's what works in AA, not watered down Christianity. People. Like Soilent Green, it's made from people. That's why even the devout religious cant pray away their alcoholism, they need to talk to real people too . Think about it.

[Luis Hernández Cano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque he leído este libro, en esra ocasión no se trata de este el q leí, sólo usé este título para hacer referencia a otro que igual es de la comunidad de AA que se llama comité de apadrinamiento y fortalecimiento espiritual. Y lo califico con 3 estrellas dado q me pareció ya muy específico en algunos temas. Siento q nos estamos metiendo ya en terreno de la Psiquiatría y nos debiamps un poquito de nuestro único propósito. En fin, es sólo mi opinión. Apéndice A. Leí el compendio número 4 del plenitud AA pero como no está dado de alta en Goodreads usé como referencia este libro. Apéndice B. Ahora leí el compendio número 8 de la Revista Plenitud, que consta de 360 páginas. Ahora lo que leí fue un libro que se titula criterios profesionales. Consta dec240 páginas. 2 agosto 2023. Ahora leí el libro: Plan Nacional de literatura. Consta de 185 pàginas y lo terminé de leer el 26 de noviembre 2023. Ahora leí el libro regreso a lo fundamental 100 páginas lo terminé el 20 de julio 2024. Ahora fue el turno del libro : experiencia, fortaleza y esperanza que consta de 473 páginas! Le doy una calificación de 3 estrellas! fecha: 4 julio 2025

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

What does Bill Wilson and Mick Jagger have in common? The early to middle period of their creative lives were far more interesting than their later years. Like with the various Jagger biographies I've read, the formative experiences and early creative years (in music for Jagger and in creating the A.A. movement for Wilson) makes for much more compelling reading than the later years. Still, Pass It On is a fascinating life story of a man who may truly be one of the most influential sociological forces of modern society. True, tha later years of his life were about consolidation rather than creation and less interestign because of that but his is a story everyone with an interest in change on either a personal or societal level should know. Read the book......just don't expect alot from last several chapters.

[Dariusz Biskupski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth reading

Very inspiring person and story. Easy to read and takes time to soak all the practical wisdom of everyday life, very ordinary amd humble person it was. Shows how little is needed to start making world a better place, starting from onself.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great history of Alcoholics Anonymous in the early days. I consider this a "must read" for anyone who wants to get a feel for what it was like in the beginning of the movement.

[Robert Cymbala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping story. Helen Wynn is missing, though, but she is included in DVD "Bill W." by page124productions.

[Djj · Rating 4 out of 5]

AA produced history of the beginnings of aa. Indeed more less a biography of bill Wilson as the two are inextricably intertwined. Fascinating especially if you've been through the big book and wondered about the origins some of the stories. Bill w was a pretty odd duck, believing in psychic phenomena, ghosts and spiritualism, and his experiments with lsd are understandable in the context of history but bizarre.

That aside, the history of the 12 steps and their connection to both the oxford group and William James's studies in religious experience. Really puts to rest the idea that aa is a fundamentalist movement even if it did have connections in the early days.

My only quibble is some of the sanitizing of bill w's life, completing ignoring his somewhat infamous philandering. I've yet to meet the aa without some sort of cross addiction so I think that story could have lead to some interesting analysis, but I suppose they didn't want to distract from the efficacy of the 12 steps.

Regardless, mandatory reading for those interested in the program.