Bill Wilson - Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous - Bill's Story

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by moss~

Bill Wilson recounts his life story, beginning with wartime service and the discovery of alcohol during moments of excitement, loneliness, and misplaced confidence. He then describes a climb through law study and Wall Street speculation, escalating drinking as success and applause grow during the late 1920s boom. The narrative culminates in the chaos after the 1929 stock market collapse, financial ruin, dependence on others, and the start of deeper consequences from continued drinking.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages120

Reading Time3 h 5 min

AccessFree to download

Bill's Story

War, loneliness, and first drinking

From law to Wall Street speculation

Golf fever and rising drinking

The October 1929 crash and financial ruin

Montreal, return of dependence, and fallout

Bill Wilson # Big Book ofAlcoholicsAnonymous Digitized by the Internet Archivein 2024 https://archive.org/details/bigbookofalcohol0000bill BILL'S STORY WAR FEVER ran high in the New England town to which we new,young officers fromPlattsburg were assigned,and we were flattered when the first citizens took us to their homes,making us feel heroic.Here was love,applause,war;moments sublime with intervals hilarious.Iwas part of life at last,and in the midst of the excitement I discovered liquor.I forgot the strongwarnings and the prejudices of my people concerning drink.In time we sailed for"Over There."I was very lonely and again turned to alcohol We landed in England.I visited Winchester Cathedral.Much moved,I wandered outside.Myattention was caught by a doggerel on an old tombstone: "Here lies a Hampshire Grenadier Who caught his death Drinking cold small beer. A good soldier is ne'er forgot Whether he dieth by musket Or by pot." Ominous warning-which I failed to heed. Twenty-two,and a veteran of foreign wars,I went home at last.I fancied myself a leader,for hadnot the men of my battery given me a special token of appreciation?My talent for leadership,Iimagined,would place me at the head of vast enterprises which I would manage with the utmostassurance. I took a night law course,and obtained employment as investigator for a surety company.The drive for success was on.I'd prove to the world I was important.My work took me aboutWall Street and little by little I became interested in the market.Many people lost money-butsome became very rich.Why not I?I studied economics and business as well as law.Potentialalcoholic that I was,I nearly failed my law course.At one of the finals I was too drunk to think or write.Though my drinking was not yet continuous,it disturbed my wife.We had long talkswhen I would still her forebodings by telling her that men of genius conceived their best projectswhen drunk;that the most majestic constructions of philosophic thought were so derived. By the time I had completed the course,I knew the law was not for me.The inviting maelstromof Wall Street had me in its grip.Business and financial leaders were my heroes.Out of thisalloy of drink and speculation,I commenced to forge the weapon that one day would turn in itsflight like a boomerang and all but cut me to ribbons.Living modestly,my wife and I saved $1,000.It went into certain securities,then cheap and rather unpopular.I rightly imagined thatthey would some day have a great rise.I failed to persuade my broker friends to send me outlooking over factories and managements,but my wife and I decided to go anyway.I haddeveloped a theory that most people lost money in stocks through ignorance of markets.Idiscovered many more reasons later on. We gave up our positions and off we roared on a motorcycle,the sidecar stuffed with tent,blankets,a change of clothes,and three huge volumes of a financial commission should beappointed.Perhaps they were right.I had had some success at speculation,so we had a littlemoney,but we once worked on a farm for a month to avoid drawing on our small capital.Thatwas the last honest manual labor on my part for many a day.We covered the whole easternUnited States in a year.At the end of it,my reports to Wall Street procured me a position thereand the use of a large expense account.The exercise of an option brought in more money,leaving us with a profit of several thousand dollars for that year. For the next few years fortune threw money and applause my way.I had arrived.My judgmentand ideas were followed by many to the tune of paper millions.The great boom of the latetwenties was seething and swelling.Drink was taking an important and exhilarating part in mylife.There was loud talk in the jazz places uptown.Everyone spent in thousands and chattered inmillions.Scoffers could scoff and be damned.I made a host of fair-weather friends. My drinking assumed more serious proportions,continuing all

FAQs

How did Bill Wilson first discover alcohol, according to his story?

While stationed with young officers, Bill becomes lonely and turns to alcohol amid excitement and optimism, ignoring warnings about drink.

What role did Wall Street speculation play in Bill’s life before the crash?

Bill shifts from law toward business and financial work, increasingly drawn to the market and convinced he can succeed, while his drinking grows alongside his speculation.

What happened to Bill after the October 1929 stock exchange turmoil?

After the market’s inferno, he wakes to find the ticker still clattering and recognizes his ruin, returns to drinking, and later seeks help, only to lose momentum as drinking continues.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by moss~