Author Clancy Martin (Harper's)

With its insistence on total abstinence, Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most effective treatment programs for alcoholism. Yet, most people know little about the inner workings of A.A. and its Twelve Step program.

Some people call A.A. a cult. Others say it's like a religion. It's rare to get an inside glimpse of A.A. because attendees are asked to observe a code of silence about what goes on at meetings. But, Clancy Martin, a recovering alcoholic, takes us inside the movement in this month's Harper's magazine cover story "The Drunks' Club, A.A. The Cult That Cures."