Big Book Page 16
Chapter 1 – Bill's Story · pages 1–16
"At these informal gatherings one may often see from 50 to 200 persons. We are growing in numbers and power.* An alcoholic in his cups is an unlovely creature."— Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, page 16. A short quotation, for identification and study. Read the whole page in your own copy →
What's on page 16
Page 16 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.
Reading the page itself, the language here turns on anonymity. That's taken from the page's own words — not from anybody's summary of them.
Read it for yourself
Page 16 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 16 in?
Page 16 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 16 of the Big Book?
Page 16 sits in Chapter 1 – Bill's Story. Reading the page itself, its language turns on anonymity. 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 16 of the Big Book relate to?
Page 16 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 16 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 16 is at read.recoverystarts.com/bigbook/read?page=16. 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).