title: Farewell Darth Vader: A Philosopher's Simple Introduction to Basic Principles of 12 Step Recovery
author:  Kevin Vader 
description: Kevin Vader (psuedonym) holds a PhD in Philosophy (University of Minnesota) and an MA in Mathematics (UC Berkeley). Until recently he knew almost nothing about 12 step recovery programs, except they were probably a lot of nonsense. He was wrong. This book describes his personal journey of recovery and how he came to understand its philosophy.
zlib_text: # CHAPTER 1
  
  
  THE LIFE OF DARTH VADER’S secret student took a strange and deadly turn the
  day his Master first spoke of General Rahm Kota.
  
  
  He’d had no warning that a moment of such significance was approaching. During
  his nightly meditations, kneeling on the metal floor of his chamber while
  construction droids built the _Executor_ , unaware of his existence, he had
  seen no visions in the pure, angry red of the lightsaber that he held like a
  burning brand in front of his eyes. Although he had stared until the world
  vanished and the dark side flowed through him in a bloody tide, the future had
  remained closed.
  
  
  Nothing, therefore, prepared him for the sudden deviation from the day’s
  punishing and unpredictable exercises. His Master was not a patient teacher;
  neither was he a talkative one. He preferred action to debate, just as he
  preferred recrimination to reward. Never once in all the days they had sparred
  together, with lightsaber, telekinesis, or suggestion, had the Dark Lord
  offe