Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism (generally known as The Big Book) is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism, written by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Bill Wilson & Dr. Bob Smith. It is the originator of the seminal "twelve-step method" widely used to attempt to treat many addictions, from alcoholism and heroin addiction to marijuana addiction, as well as overeating, sex addiction, gambling addiction, and family members of alcoholics, with a strong spiritual and social emphasis. It is one of the best-selling books of all time, having sold 30 million copies. In 2011, Time magazine placed the book on its list of the 100 best and most influential books written in English since 1923, the beginning of the magazine. - Publisher.