Thank you

The Maxwell family would like to thank everyone who came to celebrate Jerry's life on the 19th - we had a wonderful turnout and it was great to be able to put faces to names we've all heard. We also thank those of you who could not attend but had us and Jerry in your thoughts. It was a wonderful celebration with a lot of shared memories and laughs - just what he would have wanted!

Great Sadness

It is with immense sadness that the Maxwell family announces the passing of Jerry H. Maxwell on October 29th. He was a wonderful, loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend; an inspiring and passionate historian and teacher. He will be greatly missed and remembered by all who were touched by him.

A celebration of his life will take place Saturday, November 19th, from 4 - 9 pm at the Embassy Suites in Livonia, MI (19525 Parkway, 48152, 734-462-6000). A brief eulogy will be presented at 6 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested memorial donations be made in Jerry's name to either Brandy Station, the operators of Grafitti House near Kelley's Ford where John Pelham was mortally wounded - www.brandystationfoundation.com - or to The Detroit Film Theater at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), where Jerry greatly enjoyed going to movies - http://www.dia.org/support/tributes-memorials.aspx.

The Maxwell family looks forward to sharing memories with you and thanks you for all your thoughts and prayers. A memorial page has also been created on this blog as a way to share your memories.

First Edition - Sold Out!

We are extremely proud to announce that the first edition of The Perfect Lion has sold out! We want to thank everyone who purchased one of the 500 copies of the first edition - we are very appreciative and honored, and hope you enjoy it!

For those of you who still haven't gotten a copy, the publisher is currently preparing to print a second edition. We will let you know when that is available.

The Perfect Lion is Here

After a long wait, The Perfect Lion is here! Jerry received twelve copies of his book on April 28th. We hope those of you who have ordered it will receive your copies soon and enjoy reading it!

Book Cover

The Perfect Lion now has an official cover! We hope you are all as excited as we are!

The Index

Jerry has finished the index for the book and returned it to the publisher. He's very excited to be done and is looking forward to the finished product.

He also wants to extend an enormous thank you to Ron Cleveland for graciously performing his talk on February 21st while Jerry was under the weather. Ron, your help was greatly appreciated - thank you again!

Index in Progress

The book is in it's final stages and Jerry is currently completing the index. The publishing date remains the same and Amazon is accepting pre-orders.

Also, Jerry has given his first interview about The Perfect Lion. We expect this to be only the first of many so please check the press page for new items.

Official Publishing Date!

We have an official publishing date from the University of Alabama Press - April 28th, 2011! This date is for the hardcover edition. The e-book should be available sooner, but we are still watching for the official e-date.

The Perfect Lion is already available for pre-order from Amazon.com under the official title - The Perfect Lion: The Life and Death of Confederate Artillerist John Pelham.

Happy Holidays

Jerry is taking some time off this holiday season to spend time with family and friends. He hopes that you are able to do the same and wishes you seasons greetings and a happy new year!

November's Speaking Engagements

In November, Jerry was pleased to present his "Lincoln's Cronies" talk to both the American Association of University Women in Northville, MI on the 9th and the Bay City Civil War Round Table on the 10th. He hopes they enjoyed it as much as he did!

Publishing Update

The completed, final version of the book is now with the publisher! It is still slated for publication in the spring of 2011, but we are all very excited that it is one step closer.

Additionally, Jerry has added to his activities by joining the planning committee for the Sesquicentennial (150) commemoration of the State of Michigan's participation in the American Civil War. As that progresses, more information will be provided.

Michigan Regimental Round Table Annual Fall Field Trip

Jerry just got back from his annual fall field trip with the Michigan Regimental Round table (http://www.farmlib.org/mrrt/fieldtrip2010.html). This year they chose to visit Richmond and Fredericksburg, VA. Jerry organizes these trips each year, and of course, had a wonderful time.

October's Speaking Engagement

Jerry was pleased to present a talk to the Ann Arbor Civil War Round Table about John Pelham and the West Point Class of 1861 on the 11th. He enjoyed the interesting questions and hopes to speak to the group again. For more information about the Ann Arbor Civil War Round Table, please visit their web-site at http://aacwrt.org/

September's Speaking Engagements

In September, Jerry was honored to present a talk on John Pelham and the West Point Class of 1861 to the Grand Rapids Civil War Round Table on the 15th, and a talk on Lincoln's Cronies to the Abraham Lincoln Civil War Round Table in Plymouth, MI on the 16th.

Visit the Upcoming Speaking Engagements page to discover where Jerry will be presenting next.

Book Status Update

After working daily with a wonderful copy editor for several weeks this summer, "The Perfect Lion" is back with her for finalization. After she is done, the book will go to the University of Alabama press. It is currently slated for publication in the spring of 2011.

Book Schedule

We have received a final schedule from the publisher and expect to have a publishing date by the end of September.

The Perfect Lion

After 10 long years of research, writing, and editing, The Perfect Lion is finally complete and has found a publisher. The University of Alabama is very excited to be the publishing home to this great work.