What Is Silkworth.net?

Updated

Silworth.net is a free online archive of Alcoholics Anonymous literature and history. Its own tagline — "Alcoholics Anonymous… experience the history… lest we forget" — describes the site's purpose: preserving and sharing AA's foundational texts, historical records, and recovery resources. The site is aimed at anyone researching AA's origins, reading its core literature, or looking for free recovery tools. All content is organized into browsable categories, and the site also offers free mobile apps and downloadable materials.

What the Site Contains

The homepage groups its material into three main areas:

AA Literature

  • A.A. Big Book — the full 164-page text, plus two editions of the Big Book Stories
  • A.A. Preamble and Singleness of Purpose
  • A.A. 12 Steps, 12 Traditions, and 12 Concepts
  • 12 Traditions Checklist
  • 9th Step Promises (pages 83–84)
  • The Serenity Prayer, Principles of the Program, I Am Responsible, and The Page of Prayers

AA History

  • The Emmanuel Movement and The Washingtonians — predecessor movements
  • Magazine & newspaper articles
  • Narrative of A.A. and Timeline / Timelines in A.A. History
  • Manuscript of A.A.
  • World History – Bob P.
  • Places and Things in AA History
  • Who's Who in A.A. History
  • Big Book Story Authors and Writings of A.A. Members

Influential Books

A library of works that shaped or were referenced in early AA thought, including:

  • Mel B's Library and Dick B.'s Library
  • The Greatest Thing in the World
  • The Varieties of Religious Experiences
  • In His Steps
  • As a Man Thinketh
  • When Man Listens
  • John Barleycorn
  • The Confessions of Saint Augustine (13 books)
  • Religion, Clergy & A.A.

Free Stuff

  • Free audiobooks & speaker tapes
  • Videos of Bill Wilson
  • The PDF Project — a collection of 1,000+ PDFs
  • Free AA apps for iPhone and Android, including:
    • 10-Days to Sobriety
    • Free 12 Step Toolkit App
    • Free AA Big Book App

Who It's For

Visitor type What they'll find useful
Someone new to AA Big Book text, 12 Steps, prayers, free apps
A member studying AA history Timelines, manuscripts, Who's Who, narrative history
A researcher or writer Magazine/newspaper articles, PDF archive, influential books
Anyone wanting free recovery tools Audiobooks, speaker tapes, mobile apps

How to Use It

The site is a straightforward category-based archive. From the homepage, click any section heading — for example, "A.A. Big Book" or "The PDF Project" — to open that collection. There is no search requirement to browse; the homepage itself acts as an index. The "Free Stuff" section links directly to app downloads and media.

Practical Notes

  • The site is in English (en-GB) and presents itself as a historical and literary resource rather than an official AA service entity.
  • A subscription keyword appears in the site's signals, and PayPal is listed as a payment platform — so some content or features may involve a subscription or donation option. The homepage itself does not specify which parts, if any, require payment.
  • The PDF Project and free apps are labeled "free," but check each download page for any conditions before relying on that.