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“We have no idea what our destination will be, but it will be fun.”

Books by Tom Kennedy:

“The Skinny Kid from Braidwood” encompasses stories from the first 22 years of a boy’s life, from 1940-1962. Originally written as journal entries, it covers selected elements of a hometown that ultimately shaped him and helped identify his purpose for being in the world.

“Coach Like Gordie” After being a two-sport college athlete and part-time truck driver, Tom was motivated to pursue a job that imitated arguably the greatest coach in American history. The first section, “I tried to…Coach like Gordie,” highlights his ten years of coaching and teaching at the high school and college levels. The second section, “There was no…Coach like Gordie,” features stories about Coach Gordie Gillespie.

“603 South Kankakee” Between 1972 and 1986, the young Kennedy family lived in Wilmington, Illinois, a small farm-based community dissected by the historic Route 66 and built alongside the Kankakee River. What was special about that 14-year period? It marked the precious time for 5 youngsters as they evolved from pre-adolescence into teenagers. It was a time when a woman undertook multiple outside jobs while being a mother and wife. It was a time when a man transitioned from being a college coach into a career as a college administrator. It was a time for a family to be immersed into their ancestors’ community and church.

“Just the Facts, Grandpa” The legacies of grandparents live in their children. Many of us have gone through stages of wonder and questions about the history of our ancestors. These are inquiries that usually peak when it is too late, after our primary resources are relegated to the graveyard. The book is an example of how one grandfather wrote letters to his 14 grandchildren on his mission to enlighten his progeny with personal family history, while imparting the wisdom and experience exclusive to an octogenarian.

“I’m from Braidwood” Why write a book about a hometown? In my case, I lived the first 22 years of life, between 1940 and 1962, in Braidwood, Illinois, population 1,200. During those first 260 months, the Braidwood community was instrumental in shaping what was to become of Tom Kennedy. But what about other Braidwood people from the 1940s and 1950s? They have stories, too, and many gave voice about their impressions about their early Braidwood lives. So, this book includes much more than a solo. It is a chorus, a literary quilt, that celebrates their roots to be hard by their kids and their grandkids when they ask, “What was it like to be raised in Braidwood?”

All are available on Amazon.