Addiction is an issue that directly or indirectly plagues all of society. It is the inability to escape a habit that haunts its victim, the "user," the addict. It is an illness that carries a perfectly awful stigma, an illness that must be fought with the entire being of the sufferer if it is to be conquered. Dr. Michael Cowl Gordon, who has devoted his career and his life to the goal of leading addicts on the road to sobriety, has provided all of us with the knowledge, the guide and a concrete plan to achieve that victory with his remarkable book, THE TWELVE STEP PATHWAY: A Heroic Journey of Recovery.

Several of the words in the above paragraph --- conquered, victory, heroic --- comprise a key to Gordon’s system for recovery from addictions of all kinds, but particularly from probably the most common and certainly one of the most vicious: alcoholism. One of the primary components of his system is the addict's realization and acceptance of his or her own weakness, as well as the fact that recovery is a journey, a heroic journey. Like the heroes of history and literature, addicts in the process of recovery will face difficult --- even terrible --- dangers, traps, roadblocks and problems as they learn to accept their weaknesses and character flaws; to accept the reality that they cannot conquer these challenges alone; and to realize that the help of a higher power to reach the goals of recovery and sobriety is an absolute necessity.

"THE TWELVE STEP PATHWAY offers an altogether brilliant and unique set of rules, suggestions and steps toward sobriety that are an important addition to the existing collection of books and other writings aimed at and for addicts, their loved ones, and their friends and acquaintances."

Furthermore, the addict on that pathway is likely to fall and fail and must stand up and try again and again. And finally, addicts must accept the hard truth that the road to recovery is never-ending. The struggle and the fight will continue forever, and the dangers will never simply disappear or fall away. That's why Alcoholics Anonymous never boasts of a "cure" for alcoholics or alcoholism. The pathway is eternal, but if the spirit is strong and the addicts have faith in themselves and in their support systems, they can be the heroes of their own miraculous stories. They will succeed, and ultimately they will not fall back into the abyss that had threatened their very survival.

We've pointed to two of the major components of Gordon's message, just as the title suggests: the need for and trust of the institution of AA and the courage to travel that long, tortuous pathway to sobriety that is the heroic journey. And it is the concentration on and combination of those two factors that set this book apart from others whose aim is similarly to point the way to recovery.

A third major element here that will inspire those in need is the sharing of stories of recovering addicts. Gordon's inclusion of those eight stories about and (in seven cases) written by recovering alcoholics should capture the attention and grab the heart of the reader. Each entry depicts the unique story of an individual who has weathered the storms of addiction and emerged victorious upon reaching the goal of the heroic journey of recovery --- sobriety.

In addition to the extremely informative explanations and descriptions of the 12-step AA program, the concentration on the interior and exterior heroic journey, and the inclusion of those wonderfully inspiring stories, Gordon includes:

• Chapters or sections about the lives of the founders of AA.
• Many examples of the kinds of problems addicts encounter before, during and after their first experiences with the program.
• Definitions of the terms, words and phrases that characterize and reflect the goals of the institution and the addicts themselves.
• The importance of analysts, psychologists and philosophers, particularly the relevance and influence of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung.
• Gordon’s own philosophies, ideas and ideals derived from all those sources and many more that have contributed to his extraordinarily impressive program of recovery.

Chapter 10 is an eight-page worksheet comprised of questions and directions for victims of addiction to study and practice. It's a significant addition that distinguishes the book from many others.

THE TWELVE STEP PATHWAY offers an altogether brilliant and unique set of rules, suggestions and steps toward sobriety that are an important addition to the existing collection of books and other writings aimed at and for addicts, their loved ones, and their friends and acquaintances. It is a welcome piece that can save lives.

Full disclosure: Dr. Michael Cowl Gordon has been a dear friend of mine for over 65 years. When I read an early draft of his work, I urged him to reach out to agents and publishers because he had created a book that would be an invaluable aid to recovery for victims of addiction all over the world. I am happy, to say the least, that he successfully has done so.