The Cross and the Switchblade by Pastor David Wilkerson

In 1962 Pastor David Wilkerson, along with John and Elizabeth Sherrill published The Cross and the Switchblade, detailing the first 5 years of Pastor Wilkerson's work with troubled youth in New York City.  After seeing a cover photo on Life Magazine of teenage boys on trial for murder, David feels a magnetic pull to help them.  Putting his "fleece before the Lord", he is given clear indications that he is needed in NYC.  What he thought would be a one time trip, ended up changing his life and his family's lives forever.  Ultimately it resulted in a Teen Challenge center in New York City, serving youth in the most dire spiritual and temporal circumstances.

While David never spoke to the boys he felt called to help, he found hundreds of other boys and girls that he could.  This book was about faith in action.  It reminds us what power for good there is in all of us when we heed the counsel of the Lord.  It inspires us to look and even ask for miracles and to put our full faith and confidence in God.  It encourages us to think about our own priorities and how we help others.  The book reminded us that with God, all things are possible, including recovery from serious drug addictions.  Additionally, it was a great example of how different faiths can come together and work towards a common goal.

After the book was published, the story lived on.  In 1970 there was a film version of the book starring Pat Boone and Erik Estrada.

In 1968 Jamie Buckingham published Run, Baby, Run detailing his side of the story.  His life in the gang, meeting Pastor Dave and becoming an Evangelical Christian.

In 1972 there was a Comic Book released.

After reading this book, I really wanted to know, Where are they now?  Pastor Wilkerson turned over the Teen Challenge centers to the Assemblies of God.  They have locations all over the United States and have 12 month residential centers for those with serious drug addictions.  Their "tagline" is "Freedom through Discipleship".  That phrase can be used for all sorts of good purposes.

David Wilkerson died on April 27, 2011 in a head-on collision with a tractor trailer.  Pastor Wilkerson had crossed the lanes into oncoming traffic.  His wife Gwen was injured but survived.  She passed away on July 25, 2012 from cancer.  The Wilkerson family now runs World Challenge.  They focus on feeding the abject poor and on orphan care.  It seems that there are no small dreams in the Wilkerson family.

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King

The Beekeeper's Apprentice is the first in a series of Sherlock Holmes stories featuring a new heroine, Mary Russell.  Through books and movies, Sherlock Holmes has been consistently portrayed as a genius detective, in a league entirely his own.  Here we see a woman who can match his intelligence and wit, while adding compassion and ingenuity into the cases they work.  Mary Russell has a deep theological background and an inquisitive mind, as well as the courage to act when necessary.

At first the glaring age difference made it an unlikely pairing of minds.  However, as the story progresses, the age difference becomes less and less pronounced.  Although Mary Russell has flaws, it was nice to see such a strong female character.

Laurie R. King wrote the Beekeeper's Apprentice back in 1994.  Laurie fashioned the character of Mary after herself as a young girl.  Laurie grew up in California and the Pacific Northwest.  In fact, I discovered that for a few years in her childhood she lived in exactly the same neighborhood I did growing up (many years before I was born though).  She studied Theology in college and married an Anglo-Indian.  They have a home in California and one in England, splitting time between them.  They also travel frequently.

Laurie has written many other novels in the Mary Russell series.  The next book in that series is scheduled to be released in 2015.  Laurie R. King has also written another series of mysteries featuring another female lead, the Kate Martinelli mysteries.  The first book in that series, A Grave Talent, won the Edgar award in 1993.  The Edgar award is given to the best fiction book written that year by a first-time novelist.

If you are interested in delving into more of the Sherlock Holmes or Mary Russell stories, here are some things to check out:

- The BBC Sherlock Holmes series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman is airing season 3 on January 19th on PBS.
- The Beekeeper's Apprentice tumblr has some interesting pictures and ideas for movie casting, etc.
- Via YouTube I found a 6 minute clip that includes footage from the actual area in England where Holmes and Russell first meet with some lines of the book being read by Laurie R. King.
- If you are looking for more information on Sherlock Holmes the character, look here.

And for fun, here are some pictures of the various Sherlock Holmes in TV and Film:

 From the 1900 William Gillette Play

 Benedict Cumberbatch in the current BBC Sherlock Holmes series

 Jeremy Brett starred in several Sherlock Holmes movies and TV series through the 1980s and 1990s

Douglas Wilmer played Sherlock Holmes in the 1964 BBC version

Johnny Lee Miller in the series Elementary

Robert Downey Jr. in the most recent Hollywood version of Sherlock Holmes