Well Diggers and Life-Changers Published anonymously in 1933 by "A Layman with a Notebook," this book is an important source document for the writing of the "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous. It was originally titled What is the Oxford Group? Of the twelve chapters, the middle eight describe the recovery program as practiced by Bill W., Dr. Bob, and the "first one hundred" before the "Big Book" was written. These chapters explain the Four Steps of recovery, which are Surrender, Sharing, Restitution, and Guidance, along with the Four Standards of Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, and Love. The Four Steps are: Surrender: (AA's Steps One, Two and Three) Surrender of our life, past, present, and future, into God's keeping and direction. Sharing: (AA's Steps Four, Five, Six and Seven) The Sharing of our (difficulties) with another life given to God, and to use Sharing as Witness to help others, still unchanged, to recognize and acknowledge their (difficulties). Restitution (or Amends): (AA's Steps Eight and Nine) Restitution to all whom we have wronged directly or indirectly. Guidance: (AA's Steps Ten, Eleven and Twelve) Listening to, accepting, relying on God's Guidance and carrying it out in everything we do or say, great or small. (What Is the Oxford Group?, pages 8-9, edited for clarity by Wally P.) The Four Standards were used to separate assets from liabilities as part of the inventory process (Step Four) and to separate God's will from self-will during the "quiet time" and listening process (Step Eleven). The Four Standards are characterized by a question to help separate the "good and bad": HonestyIs it true or false? PurityIs it right or wrong? UnselfishnessIs it about others or is it about ourselves? LoveIs it about faith or fear? The "Big Book" authors reversed the Four Standards in Steps Four, Ten and Eleven. They described self-will in terms of Resentment, Fear, Selfishness, and Dishonesty. What Is the Oxford Group? was written by an Englishman from a Christian perspective during a period of time when the Oxford Group in the United States was evolving from a religious movement into a spiritual movement. Please keep that in mind as you read this treasure-trove of spiritual principles that were later incorporated into AA's textbook for recovery. Wally P. is an A.A. archivist, historian, and the author of Back to Basics, How to Listen to God, and Back to the Basics of Recovery.