Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

Grapevine is the international journal of Alcoholics Anonymous in print, digital and audio. Often referred to as "our meeting in print,” Grapevine…
While there is no formal list of promises in the Big Book, some A.A. members refer to the following passage from the Big Book, Chapter 6: Into Action…
The A.A. Guidelines represent the shared experience of A.A. members and groups throughout the United States and Canada. They also reflect guidance…
The term “Conference-approved” describes written or audiovisual material approved by the General Service Conference for publication by GSO. This…
Service material differs from Conference-approved literature in that it has not come about through Conference Advisory Action. It is produced when…
An A.A. meeting may take one of several forms, but at any meeting you will find alcoholics talking about what drinking did to their lives, their…
A closed meeting is for A.A. members only, or for those who have a drinking problem and have a desire to stop drinking. Closed meetings give members…
Often referred to as "our meeting in print," AA Grapevine is a monthly pocket-size magazine published for A.A. members and friends who seek further…
An open meeting of A.A. is a group meeting that any member of the community, alcoholic or nonalcoholic, may attend. Nonalcoholics may attend opens…
GSO provides a wide variety of material, much of it is available on the A.A. Literature page. These items include books, pamphlets and flyers,…
We in A.A. believe there is no such thing as a cure for alcoholism. We can never return to normal drinking, and our ability to stay away from alcohol…
The General Service Office in New York primarily serves and supports the Fellowship in the United States and Canada, where English, Spanish and…