Any of the books listed in the bibliography are interesting and may be helpful in the search for a higher power. They were helpful to me. There are thousands of other books that could also be helpful, and of course I can’t provide a list of thousands of books. I encourage you to engage in your own search. You may also investigate other sources such as podcasts. I have provided here a list of some books that I have in my own library. One is a book of poems. Several are historical writings about the development of Alcoholics Anonymous. Some are more philosophical, spiritual, or religious in nature. They are listed alphabetically by the author’s last name. You may also have your own favorites that you return to from time to time. I think books are wonderful, and I hope you do as well.
- Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age: A Brief History of AA. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1957, 1985.
- B. Mel. New Wine: The Spiritual Roots of the Twelve Step Miracle. Hazelden, 1991.
- Borg, Marcus J. Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously but not Literally. HarperCollins Publishers, 2001.
- C. Joe. Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for the 12 Step Life. Rebellion Dogs Publishing, 2013.
- Carnes, Patrick. A Gentle Path through the Twelve Steps: The Classic Guide for All People in the Process of Recovery. Hazelden, 1993, 2012.
- Charleston, Steven. Spirit Wheel: Meditations from an Indigenous Elder. Broadleaf Books, 2023.
- Chestnut, Glenn F. Father Ed Dowling: Bill Wilson’s Sponsor. iUniverse, 2015.
- Chestnut, Glenn F. The Higher Power of the Twelve-Step Program: For Believers & Non-Believers. Authors Choice Press, 2001.
- Covington, Stephanie S. A Woman’s Way through the Twelve Steps. Hazelden, 1994.
- Experience, Strength and Hope: Stories from the First Three Editions of Alcoholic Anonymous. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 2003.
- Frankl, Viktor E. Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press, 2006.
- Guengerich, Galen. The Way of Gratitude: A New Spirituality for Today. Random House, 2020.
- Hammarskjold, Dag. Markings. Vintage Spiritual Classics, 1964, 1992, 2006.
- Hirschfield, Jerry. The Twelve Steps for Everyone…who really wants them. Hazelden, 1975, 1977, 1987, 1990.
- Hitchens, Christopher. god is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Twelve, 2007.
- Kurtz, Ernest. Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous. Hazelden, 1979.
- Merkle, John C. The Genesis of Faith: The Depth Theology of Abraham Joshua Heschel. Macmillan Publishing Company, 1985.
- Merton, Thomas. No Man Is an Island. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, 1955, 1983.
- Merton, Thomas. The Way of Chuang Tzu. New Directions, 1965.
- Miles, Jack. God: A Biography. Vintage Books, 1995.
- Mitchell, Stephen, editor. The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry. Harper & Row, 1989.
- Mitchell, Stephen, editor. The Enlightened Mind: An Anthology of Sacred Prose. Harper Perennial,1991.
- Nolan, Albert. Jesus Before Christianity. Orbis Books, 1976, 1992, 2001.
- Pass It On: The Story of Bill Wilson and How the AA Message Reached the World. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.,1984.
- Rohr, Richard. Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps. Franciscan Media, 2011, 2021.
- Schaberg, William H. Writing the Big Book: The Creation of AA. Central Recovery Press, 2019.
- Schrodinger, Erwin. My View of the World. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- Sonsino, Rifat, and Syme, Daniel B. Finding God: Selected Responses. UAHC Press, 2002.
- Sparks, Tav. The Wide-Open Door: The Twelve Steps, Spiritual Tradition, & the New Psychology. Hazelden, 1993.
- Taylor, Barbara Brown. Holy Envy. HarperOne, 2014.
- The Language of the Heart: Bill W.’s Grapevine Writings. AAGrapevine, Inc., 1988.
Thomsen, Robert. Bill W. Harper & Row, Publishers, 1975. - Twerski, Abraham. The Spiritual Self. Hazelden, 2000.
- Weatherhead, Leslie D. The Christian Agnostic. Abdington Press, 1965.