The Cross and the Switchblade

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The Cross and the Switchblade (1962) is the true story of Reverend David Wilkerson's work among New York drug addicts. This book has sold over 50 million copies and has been translated into 30 languages. One of the drug addicts whose conversion to Christianity is described in the book is Nicky Cruz, who himself went on to write a bestselling book, Run Baby, Run. It has subsequently been made into a movie of the same name, as well as a comic book published by Archie Comics.

From the book jacket:

"This is the remarkable personal narrative of one man inspired by faith, who accomplished miracle after miracle of human reclamation. The age-old conflict of good and evil is dramatized here in the real-life story of a country preacher named David Wilkerson, who, in 1958, was moved to try to help the seven boys indicted in New York City for the murder of Michael Farmer, a crippled teen-ager. They are in prison now and beyond Reverend Wilkerson's help, but his efforts have burgeoned into the Teen Challenge movement, which has saved other boys and girls from crime and addiction."