More Information
The
Rest
of
Your
Life by
Allen
Reid
McGinnis
Author's
own
story
of
nineteen
years
of
sobriety.
From the publisher
This book contains the transcriptions of five sessions of a workshop on alcoholism. These were presented by the author at a Beginner's Meeting of AA in Brentwood, California, in 1968. One of his last talks in 1971 is also included. Many who listened and applied the principles set forth received much help putting their lives into perspective after suffering the devastating effects of this disease.
These principles may be of immeasurable benefit to anyone who seeks to achieve better results in day to day living.
Foreword to The Rest of Your Life
Allen was a native of Oklahoma, received his education in Catholic parochial schools and attended the University of Tulsa. Before turning to advertising, he had a successful career as a writer of short stories. He also had several plays produced by various civic theatres as well as summer stock companies.
He joined a highly respected advertising firm in 1945 after his discharge from the Army, and in the more than twenty years that followed he wrote copy for many large accounts working up to TV writing in the '50s and eventually becoming creative director and a vice-president of the company. His list of advertising awards was long and varied. Allen was a past president of The Copy Club of Los Angeles and a member of the permanent advertising committee for the United Crusade.
This was the public man who entered the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1952. Those of us who were there shared his "Workshop on Alcoholism" in 1968 and many who have heard the tapes of those five Thursday night talks over the last seventeen years feel that an opportunity was presented to find out what kind of foundation was needed upon which we could build a house of sobriety that would be secure.
The words that have been transcribed and printed onto the pages of The Rest of Your Life have been edited as little as possible… with many prayers for guidance … and hopefully will be of benefit to those who have requested they be printed. The question and answer periods have also been included with all names of persons omitted respecting our tradition of anonymity. These further clarify frequently asked questions and contain a degree of humor. The editor only wishes that the many healthy sounds of laughter shared by all, questioners included, could have been inserted. If the reader is trudging our read, they will be heard.
A talk that Allen gave in 1971 … one of the last times he shared … has also been transcribed and reprinted in the book. It is possible to learn from it much about how life can happen to us sober when we are challenged to put into practice what we have heard and learned through the years. It isn't always easy, but it is possible if the foundation is solid.
Shortly after this talk, and perhaps providing some explanation of how our physical condition can affect our reaction to life situations, Allen was diagnosed as having cancer. He died of that cancer in November of 1972 … sober … and still giving hope an encouragement to those who were there.
