Tom Laperriere collection of Ernest Kurtz and Clarence Snyder recordings (Ms. 2010.001)

Biographical note

Clarence H. Snyder began Alcoholics Anonymous Group #3 in Cleveland, Ohio, which was the first group to call itself "AA." His major contributions include his work on sponsorship, setting up the first central office, his efforts to secure major newspaper features and articles on A.A., and his usage of the term "A.A. Group." For more complete biographical details see: Clarence Snyder A.A. Papers, 1939-1980, Ms. 2008.008

Ernest Kurtz's academic background is in American Civilization and Spirituality, and his writings include The Spirituality of Imperfection and Shame and Guilt. For nearly twenty years he taught at the Rutgers University Summer School of Alcohol Studies. Dr. Kurtz collected the recordings in this collection for his book Not God: a History of Alcoholics Anonymous, which is still considered the definitive account of the early days of AA. He is one of the first modern scholars to consider alcoholism and addiction within a larger psychological and religious context.

Tom Laperriere maintains the web site History of Recovery: voices of AAs past and present.