This is both a fascinating history of the formative years of Alcoholics Anonymous as well as the bitter-sweet tale of the troubled man Bill W. always referred to as my sponsor. In 1934 Ebby Thatcher called an old drinking buddy to tell him about the happiness he was finding in sobriety. His friend s name was Bill Wilson and this book is the story of their life-long friendship. Deeply informative and moving a valuable contribution to the history of A.A. A must reading for anyone interested in one of the more fascinating chapters in A.A. s history. --Nell Wing Retired A.A. Archivist and Bill Wilson s Secretary