A Biography of Mrs Marty Mann: The First Lady of Alcoholics AnonymousMarty Mann was the first woman to achieve long-term sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, and she inspired thousands of others, especially women, to help themselves. The little-known life of Marty Mann rivals a Masterpiece Theatre drama. She was born into a life of wealth and privilege, sank to the lowest depths of poverty and despair, then rose to inspire thousands of others, especially women, to help themselves. The first woman to achieve long-term sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, Marty Mann advocated the understanding that alcoholism is an issue of public health, not morality. In their fascinating book, Sally and David Brown shed light on this influential figure in recovery history. Born in Chicago in 1905, Marty was favored with beauty, brains, charisma, phenomenal energy, and a powerful will. She could also out drink anyone in her group of social elites. When her father became penniless, she was forced into work, landed a lucrative public relations position, and a decade later was destitute because of her drinking. She was committed to a psychiatric center in 1938-a time when the term alcoholism was virtually unknown, the only known treatment was "drying out," and two men were compiling the book Alcoholics Anonymous. Marty read it on the recommendation of psychiatrist Dr. Harry Tiebout: it was her first step toward sobriety and a long, illustrious career as founder of the National Council on Alcoholism, or NCA.In the early 1950s, journalist Edward R. Murrow selected Marty as one of the 10 greatest living Americans. Marty died of a stroke in 1980, shortly after addressing the AA international convention in New Orleans.This is a story of one woman's indefatigable effort and indomitable spirit, compellingly told by Sally and David Brown. |
Contents
Chapter | |
Roots 190410 | |
Chicago 191018 | |
The Sleeping Lion Awakes 193035 | |
Rebirth 193839 | |
A Pioneer in the Making 1939 | |
The Learning Curve Steepens 193942 | |
Priscilla 194244 | |
Dawn of a Vision 1944 | |
The Entrepreneur 194446 | |
Rocking the Boat 1946 | |
School Days School Days 192125 | |
The Sleeping Lion Stirs 192125 | |
The Glory Years 192526 | |
The Merry MarriageGoRound 192628 | |
Interviews | |
About the Authors | |
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Common terms and phrases
AA Grapevine AA meeting AA members AA’s addiction Alcohol Studies Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholism and Drug alcoholism movement American became believed Betty Bill Wilson Blakemore Blythewood Brink Cherry Grove Chicago Chris clinical depression continued Council on Alcoholism death didn’t disease doctors Dorothy Parker drinking Drug Dependence drunk early Felicia felt friends Grennie hospital Jane Jane Bowles Jellinek John Blakemore Kennedy later learned LeClair Leopold Leopold Mannes lesbian Lill liquor living Lois Lois Wilson Mann’s Marty and Priscilla Marty Mann Marty’s Marty’s father months National Council NCA’s NCEA NCEA’s never organization patients physician problem psychiatrist recovered alcoholic recovery relapse returned Silver Hill sister Smithers sobriety social staff stay sober stigma story talk Tiebout told treatment Twelve Steps wanted Whale Cay woman Yale York City