Dennis got sober in AA in May of 1962 and has enjoyed more than 61 years as a dedicated and enthusiastic member of the Fellowship. At 86, Dennis is actively engaged in all aspects of the program, sharing his depth of experience in the daily meetings he still attends in-person and online. Growing up in a family of coal miners in Manchester, England, Dennis first tried beer at 6 years old and loved it. Living in a environment where drinking was woven into everyday life, he started drinking as an adolescent and working in the coal pits as a teenager. By his late teens and early 20’s, his consumption of beer and hard liquor was already wreaking havoc in his life. Subsequent stints in prison and geographical moves did little to abate the unraveling of his mental, emotional, and physical states. By 25, Dennis had done a lifetime of damage to his mind, body, and spirit. That ominous bottom towards which he’d been digging was beginning to resemble a grave. He finally called AA and attended his first meetings during a time when the fledgling Program was just beginning to take root in the U.K. Since day one in AA, Dennis’ involvement, commitment, and service have touched thousands of lives and, no doubt, saved lives in the process.

With more than six decades of AA recovery, Dennis’ story is rich, colorful, and chock-full of experiences that speak to the ups and downs of living life according to the principals of Alcholics Anonymous. His tale is a rare glimpse of how successfully AA  can work over the long-term. I think you’ll find Dennis’ words to be most enlightening. So listen carefully over the next hour and you’ll hear through Dennis’ thick Manchester accent, how one man’s life can be so profoundly influenced by active involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous. And now, without further ado, I’m pleased to welcome to AA Recovery Interviews my friend and AA brother, Dennis B.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book podcast, have a listen to Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperbackfrom Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs and no one receives financial gain from the show. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. -Howard L.]