Big Book Page 1
Chapter 1 – Bill's Story · pages 1–16
"Chapter 1 BILL'S STORY W ar fever ran high in the New England town to which we new, young officers from Plattsburg were assigned, and we were flattered when the first citizens took us to their homes, making us feel heroic."— Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, page 1. A short quotation, for identification and study. Read the whole page in your own copy →
What's on page 1
Page 1 sits in Chapter 1, Bill's Story, which runs pages 1–16. That's the stretch of the book where Step 1 is worked through.
Read it for yourself
Page 1 itself — the actual page, full size — is in the Big Book Search Engine, free with no account. The book belongs to Alcoholics Anonymous, and A.A. offers it to everyone: read it free at aa.org, buy a copy from A.A., or pick one up at a meeting.
Quick answers
What chapter of the Big Book is page 1 in?
Page 1 is in Chapter 1, “Bill's Story”, which runs pages 1–16 in Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition. That is the part of the book where Step 1 is worked through.
What is on page 1 of the Big Book?
Page 1 sits in Chapter 1 – Bill's Story. Recovery Starts does not reproduce the Big Book — the book belongs to A.A. — so to read the page in full, get your own copy.
Which Step does page 1 of the Big Book relate to?
Page 1 falls in the pages where the Big Book works through Step 1 (pages 1–43 in the 4th Edition). The Big Book does not put the Steps in tidy chapters of their own — the instructions run continuously through the text, which is why a page reference matters more than a Step number.
Can I read page 1 of the Big Book online for free?
Yes — free, no account. The Big Book Search Engine at read.recoverystarts.com shows the actual pages of the 4th Edition; page 1 is at read.recoverystarts.com/bigbook/read?page=1. The book itself belongs to A.A., which offers it to everyone: read it free at aa.org, buy a copy from the official A.A. store, or pick one up at almost any meeting.
This is an independent Big Book reference page from Recovery Starts — not official AA literature, not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, and not medical advice. Page references are to Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book), 4th Edition. Read the full book free at aa.org, or get your own copy from A.A. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).