Title: 12 Simple Words
Author: John W. Kennedy, Ph.D., DESA
Publisher: BookBaby
ISBN: 979-8350966152
Pages: 160
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reviewer: David Allen
Hollywood Book Reviews
You could do far worse than utilize the twelve simple words of the Scouts’ Code as words to live by, as Dr. Kennedy and his impressive array of contributors amply demonstrate in this very cool, almost aphoristic volume.
What Kennedy has done in 12 Simple Words is to cull the best of his own and friends’ and colleagues’ perspectives on the guiding concepts of scouting — and of high-minded, self-confident, altruistic living in general.
The book begins with honest self-disclosure and back story: the author, along with several immediate family members, have long-standing histories of problems like Attention Deficit Disorder, dyslexia, Obsessive-Compulsive disorder, other learning disorders. Kennedy recalls for us the extremely valuable lessons he learned from his mother, namely, that numbers can be applied to fun things like sports and science, and that words often have overlapping shades of meaning. Educator Kennedy took these cues and ran with them famously.
Words, words, words! For Kennedy and contributors, and hopefully someday for the tarrying rest of us, these are: Trustworthy; Honest; Loyal; Helpful; Friendly; Courteous; Kind; Obedient; Cheerful; Thrifty; Brave; and last but certainly not least, Clean. These are not banal terms, far from it: Kennedy’s Greek chorus of business, community, and scout leaders, many known to him from his home town of Madison, New Jersey, make a resounding and harmonious song of what it means to each of them to be of service, to be ethical, to be active and effective not only as a scout but as a human being. John W. Kennedy shines in his role as educator and leader of teens and young adults. In this book, Kennedy extends his avuncular orbit to include commentaries on these subjects not only by family and friends but by singer Jimmy Buffett, actor John Wayne, by thought leaders like Dale Carnegie.
In toto, 12 Simple Words is anything but that! The book is a handy and most thoughtful compendium of keynotes to live by that have served not just the scouts but ‘celebrities’ throughout history — celebrities like Buddha, Christ and Moses. John W. Kennedy, a mechanical engineer, Eagle Scout, educator and dad, has done his students and readers a major service by compiling the real-life sense and meaning of these twelve bold (if you choose to see them that way) words. The author’s devotion to his career, to his students, and especially to his son, Sean, to whom the book is dedicated, is plain to see. Kennedy’s book singles out lack of communication as a major malady, if not the major malady of modern times, and offers at least twelve very mindful remedies for this. 12 Simple Words is a blend of philosophical reflection, linguistic analysis, and real-life application, the author reveals how these words influence our relationships and understanding of the world. In a world where words can both unite and divide, 12 Simple Words serves as a timely reminder of their significance.