This is a collection of transcribed speaker tapes of one of the more influential and outspoken members of early AA. Top of the list of "unofficial" AA literature, this guy's interpretation of the steps intermixed with 29-years worth of experience w/the solution alongside 19 years of the problem. It's darkly humorous in the way unique to drunks who don't take themselves too damn seriously. It's certainly in the vain of "self-help" w/some prerequisite reading of the first 5 chapters of the Big Book of AA I think. But it's pretty accessible, and just reads like a half-dozen speeches delivered to an attentive friends because that's essentially what it is.

As such, I score it largely based on rhetoric, rather than content since I think that would be akin to giving The Acts of the Apostles an x/10 score.

The Problem: 7

Repeats himself for rhetorical affect. Good use of anecdotes, and references to the setting of the retreat he's speaking at. Clear establishment of his ethos both as a drunk and a sober man. A failure, and someone who has had his ego stripped of him by surrendering to God. Compelling, relatable, and funny – all of which I think are crucial characteristics for a newcomer to hear.

The Golden Key: 4

Chuck prefaces this segment of his sermon by acknowledging that some people refer to him as a "water walker" in that he's a bit too spiritual for some. As someone who subscribes to his brand of spirituality myself, I also still think it sounds like he's drank the kool-aid in this chapter. It's not quite grandstanding, but it's also not persuasive. It's not holier than thou, but it seems "too good to be true" or unattainable, especially for the newcomer who must feel outside the light of ~the lord. I imagine Chuck was charismatic enough in his delivery that this would fall squarely under the category of "If you want what we have and are willing to go to any lengths to get it," and his reputation certainly precedes him in this way to give credence to the fact that he put his money where his mouth is in terms of unconditional love. But there's a lot of lofty non-sequiturs about the infinite God that don't really say much of anything, especially if you don't already agree with him, it would be easy to pick apart. And then the thesis, that rigorous self-honesty is the Golden Key totally comes out of nowhere after palavering for 35 odd pages about how good God is.... Sure they're related concepts, but he did none of the leg work to connect the dots and land on that conclusion...

Good content, poor rhetoric IMO :/

The Power of Truth: 6

This one is a bit all over the place. Premise is the 10th step, sort-of, and that truth telling is imperative. Also the importance of sharing rather than telling. And then ol' Chuck proceeds to do an awful lot of telling about reconciliation with his family, more God stuff, business deals using language from the 50s that I can't make sense of. Almost almost comes across as braggadocios, but again I believe the charisma of the speaker tape colors in the gap that I'm feeling while reading the transcription.

Like, by the end of the chapter, I've come around to the sharing rather than telling. And the meandering anecdotes do align with his message of being taken care of when we laid down the machinations and pickup the truth. His lucrative success as a businessman, and the stuff that sounds too good to be true –though initially far reaching and unimaginable– are perhaps just higher levels of serenity yet to be realized. Seemingly unattainable in the same way that mere sobriety/happiness seemed unattainable. Hope for the hopeless n all that.

His parenthetical jokes and asides about broads are very funny.

6/10 ? I think. More will probably be revealed

Sobriety – A Spiritual Rest: 5

kind of meh, lacking any coherent thesis that distinguishes itself from the preceding chapters. More anecdotes, some of which still ring a bit tone deaf, like him explaining how he doesn't believe in death to the parents of a 16yo who OD'd on coke at the funeral he was eulogizing. Again, I'm inclined to give a generous read to his charismatic Santa Clause kinda persona.

Lots of dry/grim humor alongside his oafish-for-lack-of-a-kinder term faith in God. Still strikes me as someone who has what I want to want, even if I don't directly want what he has just yet.

The Prodigal Son: 6.25

Just the story of the prodigal son through the lens of gratitude. That there's no way you can fuck up your life so bad that you won't be welcomed back into the fold.

"Big Smith was from Flint, MI and he was my kind of drunk. He was the kind of a guy that drove his car off the end of a pier and through brick buildings. He'd sort've shriveled himself up a bit. One leg was about two inches longer than the other, and he'd walk like he was sneaking up on somebody"

telling a kid to shut the hell up when he asked "why we can't find God" only for the kid to be like "bc he ain't lost." is that charisma

Questions and Answers: 8

Some of the questions are contrived, but most of them are very practical, forcing Chuck to give a straight cohesive answer. He still manages to mix in some anecdotes, but they're very relatable and relevant. Good stuff in here.

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