Roots, Shoulders, Myths and Loose Ends An Appreciation for the History of Treating Alcoholism and How AA evolved

For centuries societies have struggled to contend with and surmount the problem of alcoholism. This book highlights some of the movements and individuals who have stood out doing so. It takes a brief look at their successes and failures and suggests how, if at all, they became part of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Poppy joined a twelve-step group in 1995 suffering from anorexia and later got sober in AA in 2009. Early in sobriety, she became interested in the history of twelve-step movements. In 2011, after moving back to her childhood home in Idaho, she crossed paths with another sober alcoholic, who also had a keen interest in studying the roots of the program. Poppy recorded their many talks, with the hopes of one day documenting the essence of what was being discussed. She is not a professional writer but was inspired to preserve and pass along what she learned through writing this book. She has two grown sons and still lives most of the year in Idaho. She is passionate about the history of alcoholism and continues to study its origins and the possibilities of hope for those seeking recovery.