In the pages we share, the truth is planted that sets us free.
Words are part of how we heal.
This is where we turn when we need reminders, clarity, or a gentle nudge forward. You’ll find AA-approved literature, other recovery literature, trusted tools, and helpful links here—resources that nourish the mind and spirit as we keep growing in recovery, one day at a time.
Core Readings For Getting Started
These books and readings are the foundation of our recovery—gentle guideposts many of us reach for when we’re brand new or needing grounding. They are powerful, hopeful and easy to come back to again.
📘The Big Book
The foundational text of AA—the problem, the solution, the program of action. Including personal stories, principles, and the Steps.
📗 Living Sober
A gentle, practical guide for living without alcohol—one day at a time. Living Sober offers clear, simple tools and perspectives from people who’ve walked this path before us.
Core Early Recovery
Isolation & Connection
We often drank alone, but recovery thrives on connection. This chapter reminds us that reaching out — even when it feels awkward — is a lifeline to freedom.
Read Online
Read in Living Sober → Fending Off Loneliness (Pg. 55, Ch. 14)
Anger & Resentments
Resentment can quietly destroy peace of mind. This reading encourages releasing the idea that others control our serenity — and to start fresh, even when forgiveness feels impossible. 👉 Read in Living Sober → Watching Out for Anger and Resentments (Ch. 15, Pg. 58)
Self Care
Kindness toward yourself is not self-indulgence—it’s recovery in action. Read in Living Sober Being Good to Yourself (Ch. 16, Pg. 61)
Emotions & Reactions
Our emotions can feel overwhelming at first. This reading teaches recognizing feelings without letting them control our choices.
Read Online
👉 Read in Living Sober Watching Out for Anger and Resentments (Ch. 15, Pg. 8) & Looking Out for Over-elation (Ch. 17, Pg. 64)
Handling Fear
Fear often triggers old habits. Learning to notice fear without reacting is a powerful step toward calm and control.
Read Online
👉 Read in Living Sober Being Good to Yourself (Ch. 16, Pg. 8)
Routine & Daily Living
Daily structure supports sobriety. This chapter offers simple ways to create routines that support both body and mind. Pg. 24
👉 Read in Living Sober Using the 24-Hour Plan (Ch. 3, Pg. 5), Easy Does It (Ch. 18, Pg. 35), Being Grateful (Ch. 19, Pg. 37)
Asking For Help
👉 Read in Living Sober →Seeking Professional Help (Ch. 23, Pg. 18)
Faith & Spirituality
Faith can mean belief in a higher power or trust in recovery itself. This chapter guides finding personal meaning and support beyond oneself. Pg. 20
👉 Read in Living Sober → Faith & Spirituality (Ch. 6, Pg. 20)
Gratitude & Reflection
Gratitude shifts focus from what’s missing to what’s present. Small daily reflections help keep perspective and strengthen sobriety.
👉 Read in Living Sober →Being Grateful (Ch. 20, Pg. 22)
Courage to Change
👉 Read in Living Sober →Firsts Things First (Ch. 13, Pg. 26)
Acceptance
Acceptance is a key to serenity. This section reminds us to acknowledge things as they are, not as we wish them to be, and to focus energy where it matters. Pg. 28
👉 Read in Living Sober Staying Away from the First Drink (Ch. 2, Pg. 28) & Remembering That Alcoholism Is an Incurable, Progressive, Fatal Disease (Ch. 4, Pg. 7)
Negativity & Self-Pity
When we let go of “why me,” we make room for peace.
👉 Read in Living Sober Eliminating Self-Pity (Ch. 22, Pg. 77)
Ongoing Growth
Old Habits
Changing Old Routines (Ch. 8, Pg. 30)
Old Ideas
Letting Go of Old Ideas (Ch. 27, Pg. 90)
Sobriety asks us to release the beliefs that once kept us stuck.
→ Read in Living Sober →
Emotions
Learning to feel without reacting impulsively is key. This chapter gives strategies for handling emotions constructively. Emotions & Reactions (Ch. 15–17, Pg. 31)
W
Read Online
Next Level Guidance
Physical Symptoms
Your body adjusts slowly after years of drinking. This chapter explains what to expect physically in early sobriety and how to care for yourself through the changes.👉 Read in Living Sober →Eating or Drinking Something—Usually, Sweet (Ch. 9, Pg. 32)
Sobriety & Work
Returning to work or staying focused on responsibilities can be stressful. This reading gives practical tips for balancing sobriety with everyday obligations. Pg.34 👉 Read in Living Sober →Getting Active (Ch. 6, Pg. 34)
Relationships
Alcohol often complicates relationships. Learn how to rebuild trust, communicate clearly, and nurture connections that support your recovery.👉 Read in Living Sober →Steering Clear of Emotional Entanglements (Ch. 24, Pg. 36)
Honesty
Honesty with yourself and others is a cornerstone of recovery. This section guides how to practice it gently and consistently.👉 Read in Living Sober →Being Good to Yourself (Ch. 16, Pg. 38)
Making Amends
Making amends isn’t about punishment — it’s about repairing and letting go. This chapter helps you approach it thoughtfully and safely.👉 Read in Living Sober →Making Amends (Ch. 25, Pg. 40)
Carrying the Message
Recovery grows when we share our experience. This reading explains how helping others can strengthen your own sobriety.👉 Read in Living Sober →Going to AA Meetings (Ch. 29, Pg. 42)
Fun & Humor
Joy is possible in sobriety! Learn to reintroduce fun and laughter without relying on alcohol. Pg. 44 👉 Read in Living Sober →Joy & Humor (Ch. 30, Pg. 44)
Alcoholic Thinking
Old thought patterns can linger. This chapter shows how to recognize unhelpful thinking and gently shift toward healthier perspectives. Pg. 46 👉 Read in Living Sober →Old Thought Patterns (Ch. 31, Pg. 46)
Self-Centeredness
Recovery encourages looking beyond yourself. This section explores how focusing outward can bring more peace and connection. Pg. 48 👉 Read in Living Sober →→ Self-Centeredness (Ch. 22, Pg. 48)
Spiritual Awakening
Sobriety opens doors to deeper meaning and personal growth. This reading highlights how spiritual awareness can support your daily life. Pg.50 👉 Read in Living Sober →→ Faith & Spirituality (Ch. 6, Pg. 50)
View by Chapter Order
1. Using This Booklet (Pg. __)
A short introduction to how this booklet works and how to get the most from it.
2. Staying Away From the First Drink (Pg. __)
Focuses on the first day, the first drink, and what staying away really means.
Using the 24-Hour Plan (Pg. __)
Explains a simple method many of us use to stay sober one day at a time.
Remembering That Alcoholism Is an Incurable, Progressive, Fatal Disease (Pg. __)
A clear statement about the nature of addiction and why vigilance matters.
“Live and Let Live” (Pg. __)
Encourages a balance of living our own lives and letting others live theirs.
6. Getting Active (Pg. __)
Shows how action, not just thought, supports our recovery.
Using the Serenity Prayer (Pg. __)
Describes how this short prayer becomes a daily tool for many.
Changing Old Routines (Pg. __)
Addresses how our life patterns supported drinking, and how new ones support sobriety.
Eating or Drinking Something — Usually, Sweet (Pg. __)
Looks at physical and behavioural habits connected to drinking.
Making Use of “Telephone Therapy” (Pg. __)
Talks about calling other members and building our recovery network.
Availing Yourself of a Sponsor (Pg. __)
Explains the role of sponsorship and how one can help us stay on track.
Getting Plenty of Rest (Pg. __)
Highlights how rest, sleep and recovery go hand in hand.
“First Things First” (Pg. __)
Urges putting what matters most before what seems urgent.
Fending Off Loneliness (Pg. __)
Helps address the loneliness many feel when they stop drinking.
15. Watching Out for Anger and Resentments (Pg. __)
Explores how anger and resentment erode peace and sobriety.
16. Being Good to Yourself (Pg. __)
Invites self-care, kindness, and compassion as part of recovery.
17. Looking Out for Over-elation (Pg. __)
Warns about too much excitement or amusement being a trigger, too.
18. “Easy Does It” (Pg. __)
Gently reminds us that sobriety is a marathon, not a sprint.
19. “Avoiding Dangerous Drugs and Medications (Pg. __)
Addresses sober awareness of medications and other substances.
20. Being Grateful (Pg. __)
21. Avoiding Dangerous Drugs and Medications (Pg. __)
Addresses sober awareness of medications and other substances.
22. Eliminating Self-Pity (Pg. __)
Touches on how self-pity can sabotage recovery and what to do instead.
23. Seeking Professional Help (Pg. __)
Focuses on how certain situations can tempt us, and how to avoid or navigate them.
24. Steering Clear of Emotional Entanglements (Pg. __)
Looks at how relationships and emotional triggers play a role in our sobriety.
25. Getting Out of the “If” Trap (Pg. __)
Examines conditional thinking (“If I had…”, “If things were…”), and how to move beyond it.
26. Being Wary of Drinking Occasions (Pg. __)
Focuses on how certain situations can tempt us, and how to avoid or navigate them.
27. Letting Go of Old Ideas (Pg. __)
Invites an honest look at ideas and beliefs that supported our drinking.
28. Reading the AA Message (Pg. __)3. Seeking Professional Help (Pg. __)
Encourages becoming familiar with the broader message and literature of AA.
29. Going to AA Meetings (Pg. __)
Describes why meetings are part of our recovery ecosystem and how to engage.
30. Trying the Twelve Steps (Pg. __)
Explains how the Twelve Steps apply and what it means to try them.
31. Finding Your Own Way (Pg. __)
Invites us to build a personal, honest approach to life in sobriety.
🗓 Daily Reflections
The foundational text of AA—stories, principles, and the Steps.
💧 This Is AA
A gentle overview of what AA is and how we recover.
☀️Just For Today
Simple intentions to ground you in the present moment.
📖 Acceptance
A much-loved passage from page 417 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
“And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today…”
“When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation- some fact of my life- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept my life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.”
🙏🏼 Serenity Prayer
Said at meetings and in quiet moments around the world.
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…
The courage to change the things I can…
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Foundation Literature
These books are the powerful base of our recovery—gentle guideposts many of us reach for when we’re brand new or needing grounding.
📘The Big Book
The foundational text of AA—stories, principles, and the Steps.
📖 Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions
Deeper insights into the Steps and Traditions of AA.
🔍Big Book Dictionary
Compliments the Big Book with definitions of words from when the book was written.
📗 Dr Bob & the Good Oldtimers
A biography of AA co-founder Dr. Bob, with insights into the early days of the program.
SERVICE
Literature for group, area and world service.
📗Group Handbook
This guide tells how a group works most effectively, how a new group can be started, and how each group can be linked to A.A. as a whole.
📗Structure of Group Service
📗AA Service Manual
A full guide to our service structure through our twelve concepts.
AA Pamphlets
These AA pamphlets are short, focused, and speak to different needs—whether you’re just arriving or deepening your understanding. Take a look around.
🆕 A Newcomer Asks
Answers to common questions for those new to AA.
🙏🏼 A Brief Guide to AA
Answers to common questions for those new to AA.
👓 AA At A Glance
Answers to common questions for those new to AA.
Women Focused
Tailored to the female alcoholic.
🌈 LGBTQ+ in AA
Experience from AA members who identify as LGBTQ+.
👩🦳 Women in AA
Stories from women who found sobriety through AA.
🕊 Many Paths to Spirituality
A pamphlet for those with diverse spiritual beliefs or none at all.
New to AA
Essential information to start with.
💧This Is A.A.
Introductory overview of A.A., who we are, and how we recover.
✨ Is AA for You?
Short quiz to help you decide if AA might help.
🌿 A Newcomer Asks
Simple Q&A about your first days in AA.
🛟 Do You Think You’re Different?
Stories of people who thought AA wasn’t for them.
Identity & Experience
Stories of love, truth, and belonging
✊🏽 AA for the Black and African American Alcoholic
Culturally relevant voices in recovery.
🪶 AA for the Native North American
Traditions, identity, and healing — personal stories from Native members embracing sobriety in their own cultural context.
🧒 Young People and AA
It’s never too early to find recovery.
👶 Too Young?
Stories of teens and young adults who stopped drinking early and never looked back.
💼 AA for the Older Alcoholic
You’re never too old to get sober.
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ Alcoholics in AA
Stories of love, truth, and belonging
🤰 AA for the Alcoholic with Special Needs
Supports for those with medical, hearing, or mobility needs.
Special Situations
AA experience in different life circumstances
🚔 It Sure Beats Sitting in a Cell
How AA works inside correctional settings.
🏥 AA in Treatment Settings
How AA cooperates with rehabs, clinics, and sober living — and supports folks during and after treatment.
🧑⚕️ AA as a Resource for the Healthcare Professional
Explaining AA to therapists, doctors, and more.
🌉 Bridging the Gap
Explains how AA helps newcomers leaving treatment, detox, or incarceration feel connected and supported.
🧠 AA for Alcoholics with Mental Health Issues
Courageous and honest reflections from those living with both mental illness and alcoholism. Yes — both can recover.
💊 The AA Member – Medications & Other Drugs
Balancing medical care and sobriety: how members navigate prescriptions, mental health, and honesty with professionals.
❗Problems Other Than Alcohol
Stories of people who thought AA wasn’t for them.
Programs & Principles
Explore the 12 Steps, Traditions, and how AA works
🖼️ The Twelve Steps Illustrated
Visual explanation of the 12 Steps.
📜 The Twelve Traditions Illustrated
Beautiful visual guide to how AA groups function.
🧭Understanding Anonymity
Why anonymity matters in AA.
🫱🏼🫲🏼FAQ’s About AA
Everything you’ve wanted to ask – answered.
✨ The “God” Word
Experience, strength, and hope from agnostic and atheist members who find recovery in AA.
Relationships & Sponsorship
How we support one another in sobriety
💞 Questions & Answers on Sponsorship
What a sponsor is — and how it works.
🧑🤝🧑 The AA Group
What a healthy AA group looks like and how it serves.
💬 Speaking at Non-AA Meetings
When AA members share their story outside the rooms.
👥 Is There an Alcoholic in Your Life?
Gentle info for friends, family, or loved ones unsure how to help someone who drinks too much.
👥 AA On the Internet
Gentle info for friends, family, or loved ones unsure how to help someone who drinks too much.
More AA Essentials
Core readings, information and reflections that ground us in the heart of the program and are often shared and read at meetings.
📜 How It Works
An excerpt from Chapter 5 of the Big Book, often read at the start of AA meetings.
🔆 AA Preamble
A short statement explaining what AA is—and what it is not. Often read at the beginning of meetings.
🥃 Who’s an alcoholic?
Chapter 3 of the Big Book, More About Alcoholism, which helps many of us identify with the disease and our experience.
🌈 The 9th Step Promises
(Big Book pages 83–84)
The beautiful “If we are painstaking…” paragraph — often read toward the end of meetings.
✨We Agnostics
Thoughtful discussion on spirituality and how AA fits those who question or don’t believe.
🕯 A Vision for You
Final chapter in the Big Book — a hopeful outlook on recovery and shared freedom.
🍇🖼️Just For Today
A calming meditation card offering simple daily intentions — one small thought at a time.
A calming meditation card offering simple daily intentions — one small thought at a time.
📼Joe & Charlie Speaker Tapes (YouTube)
A practical and useful book study by two unforgettable examples.
🙏🏼The Serenity Prayer
God, Grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
Anonymity Online & Digital Media
How anonymity applies in digital spaces.
Safety & Our Common Welfare
Safety is an important issue within A.A. — one that all groups and members
can address.
Box 459
Notes from the General Service Office of AA
The Four Absolutes
Basic principles: honesty, purity, unselfishness, love.
Acceptance
Understanding “acceptance” as a spiritual principle.
Who Me?
Addressing denial and self‐questioning in early recovery.
Guide To Serenity
Few small suggestions to ground yourself.
15 Points For An Alcoholic
Insights into characteristics or challenges common in alcoholism.
Misunderstandings, Misconceptions & Myths
Clarifying misconceptions about A.A.
Emotional Maturity
Growth in emotional and spiritual maturity through the program.
The 12 Steps Illustrated
A visual representation of the Steps for clarity.
The 12 Traditions Illustrated
A visual representation of the Traditions for understanding.
Is AA Right For You?
Helps someone decide if A.A. is right for them.
13 Steps To Alcoholism-12 Steps to Recovery
Contrast between continuing alcoholism and recovery path.
Problems Other Than Alcohol
A.A.’s perspective on co‐occurring issues, mental health, etc.
The Bedevilments
A.A.’s perspective on co‐occurring issues, mental health, etc.
Growth begins when we choose to root ourselves in honesty and bloom with grace.
GLAAM 
