I'd love to hear how those first 164 pages, the basic text of the AA program, affected you; when you first read it or after many readings, or whether you've never read it at all.
I remember laying in the sun at my cousin's house who I rented a room from, trying to comprehend what I perceived at the time to be a weird culty book that I had no clue how was gonna help me. I read it anyway because I was out of options. Nothing really took hold consciously that I was aware of yet. I just did what I was told as my wet brain dried out. I also had little side "assignments" too and speakers I would listen to to keep my mind occupied during my drinking time of day.
It wasn't until I hit a bottom in sobriety, about 6 months in, that I really dove deep into the book. My mind had cleared enough to be able to retain some information. My desperation allowed me to receive and consciously comprehend what was written even through the old timey verbiage.
The BB was a gateway for me to start comprehending and retaining other information as long as I let go of trying. I just allowed it to speak to me I guess. I also used Joe and Charlie the Big Book Comes Alive to assist me with interpretation.
Now I simply love the program as outlined in the first 164 pages and see it as one of the most spiritual books ever written. I am grateful it's never changed nor will it be to accommodate or conform. It just is and should stay just as it was written.