10 Great Books About Sobriety/Spirituality
When seeking services, part of staying sober is seeking greater self-awareness and a better understanding of your own personal spirituality. Luckily for those who are excited to do this, there is a multitude of books that have been written on these subjects. Below is a list of ten great books about sobriety and spirituality.
Ten Books About Sobriety and Spirituality
- Alcoholics Anonymous
The book Alcoholics Anonymous was one of the first books about sobriety ever written. Published in 1939 by the original members of AA the book outlines the program of action suggested by AA and its members. This book introduced the world to the 12 Steps and any person who has a problem with alcoholism would benefit greatly from reading it.
- Narcotics Anonymous
Published in 1982 Narcotics Anonymous is the basic text of the Narcotics Anonymous program. It is similar to the book Alcoholic Anonymous in that it outlines how millions of people overcame their addiction and shows exactly how this can be accomplished. The book is the cornerstone of Narcotics Anonymous and anyone who thinks they may have a problem with drugs should definitely give this book a read.
- Way of The Peaceful Warrior
Written by Dan Millman in 1980 Way of The Peaceful Warrior is a semi-autobiographical and allegorical retelling of Millman’s own spiritual journey. As one of the nation's premier collegiate gymnasts Millman suffered a horrific motorcycle accident that threatened to sideline his gymnastics career. With the help of a mysterious Gas Station attendant known only as Socrates, Millman learns the ways of the peaceful warrior and is able to come back from an extremely dark time in his life. Though the book itself is not about sobriety, those in recovery can learn a lot from its spiritual teachings.
- The Four Agreements
First printed in 1997, Don Miguel Ruiz’s book The Four Agreements has since sold over 5.2 million copies and has been reprinted into 38 languages. The book explores four agreements that people need to make with themselves in order to find happiness in life and reach their true spiritual potential. It is a very easy and enjoyable read and the wisdom that Ruiz puts forth is not only palatable but is easily applicable.
- Co-dependent No More
Melody Beattie’s Co-dependent No More is not technically a book about sobriety, but it does offer some important truths about issues that many people in recovery will face. The book explores the characteristics that plague people who suffer from co-dependence and show how they can negatively affect relationships and people’s lives. Beattie’s own experiences with co-dependence serve as the basis for the book and the insight the book offers within its pages has helped millions of people around the world.
- A New Pair of Glasses
Chuck C is a well-known AA circuit speaker and his talks can be found on just about every speaker tape website on the Internet. A New Pair of Glasses is actually one such speaking engagement that has been transcribed into a book and though it can be hard to follow at times, it gives great insight into what it means to be sober for an extended period of time. Chuck’s quick wit and light disposition show how joyful sobriety can be.
- A Return To Love
A Return To Love by Marianne Williamson is strange because it is actually a book written about another book. In the late 1970s, the book A Course in Miracles was released and it outlined how to achieve spiritual transformation through the workbook and lessons that it provided. A Return to Love is Marianne Williamson’s take on A Course in Miracles and relays her own personal experience with the course.
- The Spirituality of Imperfection
The Spirituality of Imperfection published in 1992 by Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham perfectly describes the dilemma of the human experience. They capture what it means to feel incomplete as a person and how seeking perfection is the folly of man. To be human is to be imperfect and only by accepting this fact and understanding that we will never attain the perfection that many of us desire can we hope to truly be happy.
- Living Sober
Living Sober is an informational book published by Alcoholics Anonymous that expounds on the topic of what it means to live a sober life. The book informs the reader of the different types of meetings that they can attend in sobriety and how to deal with situations that will inevitably come up over the course of their recovery. It is very easily ready and the information provided could prove to be very beneficial to anyone who is in recovery, regardless of how many times they have.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Rounding out our list is the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions written by AA’s co-founder Bill Wilson. After Bill had been sober for some time he decided that it was necessary to further expound on his experiences with the 12 Steps and the 12 Traditions. The book explores in greater detail what it means to be a sponsor and gives a lengthy discourse on the 6th and 7th Steps, which were only briefly touched on in the book Alcoholics Anonymous. For anyone seeking a better understanding of the nature of the 12 Steps or 12 Traditions, this book is a must-read.