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73 ratings | 10 reviews | avg rating:3.97

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Jon J. Kerr

Goodreads Author

Born

Portsmouth, VA, The United States

Website

http://www.jonjkerr.com

Twitter

jonjkerr

Genre

Nonfiction, Thriller, Biography

Influences

Erik Larson, David Halberstam, Patrick Conroy, Don Carpenter, Buzz Bis ...more

Member Since

November 2014

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One of my pet peeves is folks who have these pages on their websites and it reads like a resume. So I’ll try and make this short and breezy, like a Jimmy Buffett song.

My book, Boys in Brown is my first. I devoured baseball books by Roger Angell and David Halberstam growing up and always wanted to write something in that style. When I read Austin Murphy’s Sweet Season and Jeffrey Marx’s Season of Life, I was a believer.

I’m proud to say I sharpened my pen working at college newspapers, first at the Maneater at Mizzou then the State News at Michigan State. It was in East Lansing where I truly learned the impact you can have as a writer. In 1991, my first year as a Spartan, Magic Johnson announced he had contracted the HIV virus and was retirin One of my pet peeves is folks who have these pages on their websites and it reads like a resume. So I’ll try and make this short and breezy, like a Jimmy Buffett song.

My book, Boys in Brown is my first. I devoured baseball books by Roger Angell and David Halberstam growing up and always wanted to write something in that style. When I read Austin Murphy’s Sweet Season and Jeffrey Marx’s Season of Life, I was a believer.

I’m proud to say I sharpened my pen working at college newspapers, first at the Maneater at Mizzou then the State News at Michigan State. It was in East Lansing where I truly learned the impact you can have as a writer. In 1991, my first year as a Spartan, Magic Johnson announced he had contracted the HIV virus and was retiring from basketball. I remember talking to students who believed they were being interviewed for an obituary. I’m always grateful to the State News for creating a culture where young journalists could follow their instincts as reporters.

Lured by the glamour of the boob tube, I made the switch to television and landed back home in Chicago when I was 27, working as a sports anchor and reporter. Talk about a dream job–I was court side for Michael Jordan’s last season as a Bull and in the press box for Sammy Sosa’s juice-fueled home run bombs at Wrigley Field. I shared drink with Dennis Rodman in Vancouver; saw fans leave Keith Richards stranded in a hotel lobby in Toronto as they sprinted towards whom they thought was MJ and his entourage. Turned out to be someone else.
I’m sure Keith got over it. May have written a song about it.

I left television and media–the price of face powder got to be too prohibitive–and decided to get a real job in the world of finance and real estate. When I was asked to write the script for a high school preps show that eventually won an Emmy in 2005, I knew I was back in for good.

I currently live in the Chicago area, close to my parents, brother, sister, nieces and nephews. I spend my time working on books and writing about sports for several local newspapers. I’m lucky that I get to meet interesting people every day and bring their stories to life. Sometimes, those people are both fascinating and weird. Like James Brown. Not the broadcaster, but the Godfather of Soul. If we ever meet, be sure to ask about him.

I’m also a speaker and consultant. If you’re interested in having me come speak or work with you, go to my speaking and consulting page.

I wrote a book, "The Boys in Brown", coach youth football and have eclectic collection of coffee mugs.

Oh, and did you know the Cubs won the World Series? Ha. ...more

58 posts
Jon J. Kerr's Blog

STATE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL IN LAKE FOREST/LAKE BLUFF: HOW WE MOVE FORWARD

this article first appeared on ScoutsFootball.com

Over a year ago, I published a series of articles on the website ScoutsFootball.com titled ‘State 2022.’

The controlling idea throughout the series was how the Lake Forest High School football program could get to and win a state title by the year 2022.

One of the articles focused on the feeder program.

Saturday, the state semifinals are played in

Combine Editions
Jon J. Kerr’s books

Average rating: 4.57 · 7 ratings · 2 reviews · 2 distinct works

	The Boys in Brown 4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2015	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Boys in Brown: A Team, a Coach, a Passage to Adulthood it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Jon is Currently Reading

Jon Kerr is currently reading

Life in the Fast Lane: The Eagles' Reckless Ride Down the Rock & Roll Highway

by Mick Wall

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Feb 25, 2026 12:47PM

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Write for Money and Power: The Anti-Starving Artist’s Guide to Becoming a Seven-Figure Writer

by Amy Suto (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 15, 2026 12:45PM

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Game Over: Jerry Sandusky, Penn State, and the Cullture of Silence

by Bill Moushey

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Dec 10, 2025 08:17PM

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Jon Kerr is currently reading Life in the Fast Lane: The Eagles' Reckless Ride Down the Rock & Roll Highway by Mick Wall	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 25, 2026 12:47PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Life in the Fast Lane by Mick Wall. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Life in the Fast Lane by Mick Wall <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jon Kerr is currently reading Write for Money and Power: The Anti-Starving Artist’s Guide to Becoming a Seven-Figure Writer by Amy Suto (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 15, 2026 12:45PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Write for Money and Power by Amy Suto. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Write for Money and Power by Amy Suto <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jon Kerr is currently reading Game Over: Jerry Sandusky, Penn State, and the Cullture of Silence by Bill Moushey	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 10, 2025 08:17PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Game Over by Bill Moushey. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Game Over by Bill Moushey <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jon Kerr is currently reading Three and Out: Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines in the Crucible of College Football by John U. Bacon	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 06, 2024 07:44PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Three and Out by John U. Bacon. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Three and Out by John U. Bacon <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">