"Pass it on" : the story of Bill Wilson and how the A.A. message reached the world

PASSIt On'

Thestory ofBillWilson
andhowtheA. A. message
reachedtheworld.

HereisBillW.,themanevery-
bodyknewand nobodyknew.
Heretoo, inextricablyentwined
withhislife, isthedramaticstory
of thefoundingof Alcoholics
Anonymous,itsearly struggles
and amazinggrowth.

Bill'scharacterwascomplex
andcontradictory.Althoughwe
alwaystried toplacehim ona ped-
estal,hestrove forgenuinehumil-
ity,declininghonorsandstressing
thespiritualvalue ofanonymity.
Theco-founder ofA.A.,hewas
never a member ofA.A.,because
weneverallowedhimto be.Ego-
driven,henevertheless always
gavecredittoothers: toEbby,to
Dr.Bob,toLois, asappropriate.
Acharismaticleader,he eschewed
powerand''waswillingtoletgoof
us beforewewerewilling toletgo
ofhim"(inDr.JackNorris'
words).Hewashailedasoneof
themostsignificant figuresofthe
20th century;yeta nonalcoholic