Writer, Philosopher, Thinker, Musician, Artist
The Anonymous Revolutionary – Max Edwards, our son – died on 26th March 2016, age 16.
He loved writing this blog and sharing his ideas with you. In the later months of his life in particular it was a great source of comfort to him.
Thank you all for your support.
Thank you all for making a young revolutionary very happy.
Dan & Jenny x
The Anonymous Revolutionary 
I am so very sorry for your loss. I’ve really enjoyed reading Max’s blog and his recent article in the Guardian. What an inspirational young man. You must be so proud of all that he has achieved. May his words of wisdom give you strength in the days to come.
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I’m writing you from Italy, I read about your son in the newspaper here in Rome. I had cancer surgery few years ago, at age of 49, now I’m good they say. I’m a writer too, maybe I can say I know how your son must felt in the last times, I find his words so smart and clever, and so brave in spite of all. Everybody’s telling you to be proud of him, my voice join these others, it was a gift to read his words of wisdom, simplycity and light. M
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I had only just started reading Max’s blog… this was my second week!
He was an inspiration and re-affirmation about the intelligence and creativity of youth.
I am saddened and I feel the world is poorer for his passing.
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Beautiful family, I love you all
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I, too, was struck by Max’s article in the Guardian. What an amazing young man with so much insight and so much to show us all. My heart goes out to you, his family, and to all who knew him. I feel deeply saddened by his death.
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Goodbye Max, I read your article in the Guardian. That was my first and I found it really inspirational not what I expected. I meant to write to you that saturday but then I didn’t. Now I’ll be reading the rest of your blog, but it’s sad to know that you are gone. Goodbye Max and Thank you. My heartfelt sympathy to your parents.
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Sending much love and and strength to you all. We will miss you and your amazing thoughts and insights so much Max – may you rest in peace. Sarah, Mark and Mary.
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I am so sorry for your loss. He was such an amazing young man. I had only discovered his blog recently and now, on my second visit, he has already passed away.
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My heart is broken by this news. I’m so very sorry for your loss. Max was a wonderful, inspirational young man and a pleasure to teach. I enjoyed our conversations about Marxism while he was working on his EPQ. His strength, spirit, bravery and dignity will always be a source of inspiration to me and his book has pride of place on my bookshelf. An incredible young man who has made such an impact in his 16 years. My thoughts are with your family x
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I too read Max’s article in the Guardian two weeks ago. I had recently been diagnosed with cancer and approached Max’s article with some trepidation. I am so glad I did read on. It left me calm and positive. What a wise young man.
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Thank you Max for such a thoughtful article in the guardian. I am truly saddened that the world didn’t get to have you for longer, I am sure you would have made a huge difference to the inequities of the world. I wish you and you family peace.
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I’m very sorry for your loss. I’m 15, and I too came across his blog through his guardian article. He was an insightful and eloquent communicator, and I really enjoyed reading through his blog, which gave me much food for thought. Rest in peace Max.
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Gracias por dejar un ejemplo tan maravilloso a todo el mundo.
Es una pena no haber podido disfrutar de su persona durante toda una vida.
Nos enseñó a no criminalizar una idea por el hecho de que está fuera llevada a cabo de forma incorrecta. En eso se parece mucho el comunismo con el cristianismo.
Un abrazo muy fuerte para su familia desde España. Su dolor es nuestro dolor.
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A fine man indeed.
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Hello
I am so very sorry that Max has gone: I too read his article, having had Hodgkins Lymphoma five years ago and been through a lot of treatment, and was struck by his amazing attitude, and kept the article, looked at the blog and meant to write to him. I logged on now to email him, and have just seen the very sad news. Thoughts with the family, all very best, Claire
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I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your intelligent, insightful, thoughtful, funny and inspiring son. I hope you feel proud of all he has achieved, best wishes x
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We all grief with you. Your son was a comrade to us all. Best wishes.
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An amazing insightful young man. I have just found his blog – I hope it continues to reach people for years to come. He has made his mark on this world. Bravo Max
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Sending love to you all – I’ve just finished my own treatments for breast cancer and am inspired by your wonderful son. He won’t be forgotten. xxx
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I have read a couple of your son’s posts and am truly impressed by his intelligence, clarity, and lack of self pity. I loved the post where he spoke of his ‘revolutionary’ cells. Your son reminds me of a chap I never met, a secondary school headteacher, historian, and communist. He was in the French Resistance during WW2 (blowing up train tracks among other things), was captured by the Gestapo and tortured nearly to death, but did not speak! He was then sent off to a KZ (the Gestapo probably hoped he might prove a useful source of information in the future) and unbelievably survived the war. His physical appearance was so dramatically altered when he was shipped back to France that for 2 weeks, his wife, who visited him in hospital daily, had the nagging doubt that this was not her husband but an impostor who had stolen his identity. The lady who told me his story used to teach at the school he ran and had also been in the Resistance (Catholic group, but they had a lot of contact with the Communists, however her group didn’t kill people, his did). She used to say he was one of the best human beings she knew and if there was a Paradise, he would end up there, whatever his personal beliefs. I am pretty sure your son was made of the same material as this man: it’s a shame they never met, as I am sure they would have had great conversations! I do not believe in God, but will keep your son in my thoughts and am sure lots of other people will.
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I’ve only just (20 minutes ago) stumbled upon Max’s article in an old copy of The Guardian (the paper version) about his cancer diagnosis, and was immediately captivated by his maturity and honesty. As I was reading the article, my thought and hope were he would still have many years to develop his thinking and writing, given the advances in medical treatments for cancer. Then I logged on to The Guardian website, and found the devastating news of his death, which reminded me of a Chinese saying (usually used in funerals) about ‘the sky is jealous of talents’. I am sure Max would not think of ‘the sky’ in such an anthropomorphic way. While the universe is without feelings, we are constituted (at least partly) by emotions and I wish to, even though I know I can’t, begin to imagine how deep the sense of loss and sadness Max’s family are feeling now. My hope is that whatever life (and death) means, we will continue to be the ‘subject’ that creates such meaning. Max has created meaning, and so will we, hopefully…
With all good wishes to Max’s parents and siblings,
Chin Li
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I was in a middle of studying, when suddenly this blog came to my mind, so I opened it and saw what I saw.
I really feel need to say, as Marxist myself, what I read here is really often on my mind as something very, very relevant. I was blown away by his knowledge and inteligence when I first saw this site. It came to my mind today, as it comes every now and than, when I think of marxism and revolution, cause as I said, it is very relevant to me.
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first time I came across this was a deep share he made re death. I too loss my son, but it was sudden no time for those precious shares. He had awesome insight and I am certain he will be happy, safe and challenging his new life ❤ and very best to you all xxx
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I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. I truly love this blog and am so sad to stop reading it.
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What a wonderful Young man. I am humbled and inspired. I’ve never met him but he was my friend. What a loss to us all but how great to have known a little of him.
With all love
Jadé
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I just finished reading “The Anonymous Revolutionary” book, which I bought after seeing an article about Max in The Guardian. I’ve really enjoyed reading Max’s writing, and see there’s still a few entries here post-book that I can get into. Max has finally spurred me into reading The Communist Manifesto, which has been one of those things “I’ve been meaning to read” for some time.
So sorry for your loss, and sad that a vibrant young mind is no longer with us.
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A small great special little boy able to challenge our time and to hold the idea of equality and justice lives. It was sixteen years old but you/he/she has remembered us what it means to look at the world with the eyes of whom he doesn’t resign to a world where the igiustizia seems become the normalcy. The crab if you/he/she is brought away it. I hope that death has had for him the tenderness that was owed him.
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I’ve just discovered this important young intellectuals work, only to also learn that he is no longer with us. Damn. This is precisely the kind of thought the current world needs.
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What a shock. Unbelievable bright and thoughtful life was ended so soon. I’ll be rereading Max’s writings. You are good parents and my thoughts are with you
Maks
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Dan and Jenny I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you but I though this quote might give you some consolation:
“We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths;
In feelings, not in figures on a dial.
We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives
Who thinks most—feels the noblest—acts the best.”
Max was an inspiration.
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Hi
My son Evan was 16 when he died of cancer on 4th October 2016. Max’s Guardian article on terminal illness helped us all tremendously. Evan dealt with his own illness in a very ‘matter of fact’ way also.
Evan was finding his political feet in 2016 – following the news, attending the Durham Miner’s Gala, seeing Corbyn V Smith at the Newcastle hustings, and reading Max’s blogs. He didn’t get to finish the book, and so I read a blog out loud whenever I go into his room. You never know!
Thank you to the whole Edwards family.
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Dear Max,
Dear comrade,
I’m writing from Turkey, where the communists and workers have difficult times. Our region is witnessing war and death. However, as you believed, we also believe that we will change this ongoing situation. We are the ones who is about to build a better future for humanity.
I hadn’t known you until we lost you. In a news article I saw your blog. Today, in the first anniversary of your loss, I’ve read your writings. I’m enormously gladful to stand with you in history, such as my young comrades from my country.
We have a nice statement in my country: “Sen devrimcisin, hasadında bulunmasan da güzellik ekmeye devam edeceksin”. That means “you are a revolutionary, although you won’t make it to the harvest, you will countinue to plant beauty”. We are contiuning to spread hope and good, and we know that you still stand with us, with every communist arround the globe…
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With best wishes to all those who love Max. He is remembered also by people who did not know him.
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Rest in peace, Max. I have just seen it and it effected me so hard. I am so sorry for your loss.
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I’ve only just discovered this blog but it’s truly brilliant and a great fellow Commie voice. Rest in peace.
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Dear Dan and Jenny,
I remember reading Max’s Guardian article last year and being extremely moved by it. My Dad and I both agreed he seemed wise beyond his years. As an economics graduate in Manchester, I recently visited Britain’s oldest library, Chetham’s library. This library is famous for both Marx and Engels hashing out The Communist Manifesto. I sat at the very table they shared, viewed the books they referenced during the process, and importantly shared a thought for Max and how much he would have appreciated the history, stories and memories shared in that building.
I hope you read this and know that his memory lives on and that I thoroughly believe Marx and Engels, had they known Max, and particularly during this age of capitalism, would have been proud of his views and writings on here.
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Hello Josh, we read all of the messages. Thank you for posting.
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Searching for how to be stoic when confronted with cancer I stumbled on the Guardian article of Max. So here I am, a 53 year old man, finding inspiration, comfort and stoicism in your young son’s wise words. My thoughts are with your family and Max.
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I am sorry for your loss, Dan and Jenny. Losing your son may still be painful. I lost my Mother at the end of July 2016 to cancer too, and I still grieve.
I stumbled across this blog still up, and was impressed.
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My condolences to Max’s family. There are some of us who would like the occasion to call attention to the contributions to the issue of Marxism that he made. Celebrating the day of his birth, for instance, would seem to be an appropriate occasion. The only publicly available information about Max provides only the date of his death.
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Max was born on 25th August 1999. Thank you for thinking of him,
Best wishes, Jenny and Dan
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With sympathy on this anniversary.
Anwen
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I was a classmate of Max’s and every few months he crosses my mind. A few weeks ago we were given a terminal diagnosis for my grandad and every time I feel myself sinking in grief and self-pity, I remember Max’s strength. So I thank him.
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Hello Izzy. I’m sorry to hear your sad news. And you’re quite right: Max was never one for self pity. I hope you are doing well. Best Wishes, Dan (Max’s dad)
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RIP Comrade !
May your soul go to the paradise of revolutionaries !
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Stay strong, sending love ❤
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Remembering your beautiful boy today, and sending you much love from the east coast of the US. He was brave and real.
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Thank you Nancy, it’s really kind of you to think of him and us. He was wonderful 💜
Sending love back from York, England
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Dan, Jenny, Esme & Toby,
I write to you as a student from Ontario Canada. I was simply doing some research and came upon your son Max’s article in the Guardian. The article led me here to his impossibly impressive blog. I am compelled to leave you all a little note to let you know how his writings are so captivating and still read by many all these years later. God bless you and yours. L
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Dear Letissia,
Thank you for writing. It feels as if someone far away has met Max and is sending a postcard home. It would mean so much to him that you are reading and enjoying his words.
Warm wishes to Ontario from all of us in York x
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