June 25 in A.A. History

In 1908, David “Dave” B. [left] was born in Toronto, Ontario. He grew up in Knowlton, Quebec, and married Dorothy Ford on 1 Sep 1929. Together, they would have three children and thirteen grandchildren.

    In the late 1930s or early 1940s, he would be incarcerated in a mental institution. He would get sober in Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) in 1944 and become a founding member of A.A. in Quebec. From 1962 to 1964, he served as a Class B [alcoholic] Trustee. His story, “Gratitude in Action,” appeared in the fourth edition of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous. It is said that every French-speaking A.A. meeting in the world traces its roots back to the group he founded in Montreal.

In 1939, Percy Hutchison of The New York Times gave a highly favorable review [right] of the book Alcoholics Anonymous. He noted that its central thesis “is more soundly based psychologically than any other treatment of the subject I have ever come upon.” However, despite the positive review, sales did not improve, as the book was not available in bookstores.