le 12ème chapitre du Big Book ...
The history of Lone Endeavor, as related by Thom R.:
Lone Endeavor deleted from first Edition Big book
When the original manuscript was written, Bill and Ruth and another man that was helping out by the name if Hank P. (Hank wrote the chapter To Employers but relapsed when he found out that he wasn't going to be the Grand Poobah of AA because of it) were sending copies of the manuscript around the country to friends to proofread, comments, beta-test <g>, etc.
Somehow a copy of the manuscript found it's way to Los Angeles, and a man was able to read it and get sober. He wrote the letter to The Foundation in New York that is included in the story.
This was the first time that anybody ever heard of the book ALONE getting someone sober, so everyone was very excited.
The written exchanges took place that appear in the story, and Ruth put the whole thing together. It was supposedly originally planned that it was going to be going to be the 12th Chapter of the Basic Text, or so the legend goes. (Have you ever wondered WHY there are 12 Steps, 12 Traditions, 12 Concepts, but only 11 Chapters?)
The First Edition was released with The Lone Endeavor apprearing as the final story of the book. It was originally on pages 391-98.
After the coorespondence that took place that is documented in the story, a telegram was sent to Los Angeles, asking if the man would come to New York. He wired back that he would. The New York Group took up a collection amongst themselves and wired him a bus ticket.
When the bus showed up in New York, a man fitting his given description did NOT exit the vehicle.
Confused, the welcoming party asked the driver if he had seen a man of the description aboard the bus at any time.
Oh, yes, said the driver. He's sleeping it off UNDER the back seat!
Boiled as an owl.
So, the story was removed from the Second Printing. Oops. Egg on Bills' face, eh?
