Original Manuscript of A.A. “Big Book” will now be owned by Stepping Stones the Historic Home of A.A. Cofounder Bill W. & Al-Anon Cofounder Lois W. in NY
KATONAH, NY, UNITED STATES, July 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The foremost relic of Alcoholics Anonymous’ (A.A.) history is returning home to Stepping Stones as a result of the July 1, 2026, auction at Christie’s NY. The hand-edited original manuscript of “Alcoholics Anonymous” — widely known as the “A.A. Big Book”—will end its long and storied journey through successive auctions and owners to return to the historic home and archive of A.A. cofounder Bill Wilson and Al-Anon Family Groups cofounder Lois Wilson. Bill Barton, Stepping Stones Board President said, “We got together with caring people and raised funds to ensure that this foundational A.A. document will remain exactly where it should be at Stepping Stones, in Katonah, NY.”
“The Stepping Stones Foundation is grateful that the manuscript is returning home to be the centerpiece of Stepping Stones’ collection,” said Sally Corbett-Turco, Executive Director, The Stepping Stones Foundation. “Just as Lois Wilson hoped, the manuscript will be available for future generations of people in recovery to see and be inspired. They will experience it in a place deeply connected to its history and meaning.”
The Stepping Stones Foundation is a private nonprofit tax-exempt organization that accepts donations to support preservation and operations of the National Historic Landmark home and archive. “This acquisition is unprecedented for Stepping Stones, and we invite contributions toward the manuscript’s preservation, protection, and display along with the other 110,000 original treasures left in our care by the Wilsons,” added Corbett-Turco.
Known as the “Printer’s Copy Manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous”—the landmark book widely known as the “A.A. Big Book,” contains the Twelve Steps that have gone on to be used by millions of people and hundreds of other organizations addressing various challenges and maladies.
The Stepping Stones Foundation—with additional support of Trustees, Advisory Council Members, volunteers, staff, and donors—bid on the manuscript with the stated intention “to bring it home” to where Bill and Lois Wilson lived from 1941 until their respective deaths in 1971 and 1988. Bill Wilson is widely acknowledged as the person who spearheaded the Big Book project—from cultivating philosophical and financial support for the project to managing the content and “umpiring” the debates that erupted about the wording as shown in the famed draft.
Bill Wilson got sober in New York in 1934. He carried the message of sobriety to Akron where he helped A.A.’s other cofounder find recovery. Bill urged the fellowships to approve the making of a book to share the recovery program with others. The annotations in the Original Manuscript / Printer’s Copy represent a pivotal stage in the creation of a work that helped and still helps to carry a message of recovery from alcoholism around the world. The heavily annotated manuscript was used by the typesetter at Cornwall Press to produce the book in 1939.
As its mission, The Stepping Stones Foundation “fosters public understanding of alcoholism and inspires recovery by preserving and sharing the home, archive, and legacy of Bill and Lois Wilson, cofounders respectively of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon Family Groups.” Situated on eight acres of gardens and woodlands nestled on the border of the hamlets of Katonah and Bedford Hills in the Town of Bedford, NY, Stepping Stones features the Wilson home (a 1920 Dutch Colonial Revival), Bill W.’s writing studio “Wit’s End”, 10,000 historic artifacts and 130,000 archival items. Much 12-Step recovery history unfolded at Stepping Stones ranging from Bill’s writing following the Big Book such as the book “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions” to Lois’ cofounding of Al-Anon Family Groups. Each year, thousands of visitors—including members of the worldwide recovery community, families, friends, scholars, and history enthusiasts—make a “homecoming” to Stepping Stones for tours, workshops and events, and quiet reflection on the lives and legacies of Bill and Lois Wilson. Stepping Stones also offers presentations, virtual events and tours, an online archive, films and videos, plays and play scripts, volunteer opportunities and internships. For further information about Stepping Stones and to support its mission, the website is https://www.steppingstones.org where details of events, volunteer opportunities, archive and online archive, tours, and giving can be found.
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Media Contact
Sally A. Corbett-Turco
Executive Director, The Stepping Stones Foundation (FEIN 13-3031164)
Stepping Stones – Historic Home of Bill & Lois Wilson
62 Oak Road, Katonah, NY 10536
Office 914-232-4822 Extension 11
Email info@steppingstones.org
Website https://www.steppingstones.org
Sally Corbett-Turco
Stepping Stones
+1 914-232-4822 ext. 11
email us here
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