Enigma: The Caldwell Series

Dan Ryan

Dec 2011 · Author House

About this ebook

Engima is the continuation of the story begun in the novel LONDON. It is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents portrayed in this novel are the product of the authors imagination or have been used fictitiously. The characters are placed within the historical perspective of the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918 and the ten years immediately after this event. The events depicted in this novel were first presented in the Times Encyclopedia and Gazetter, 431 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois, copyrighted 1934. This collection of eight volumes contains a comprehensive, day by day narrative of the world war and years immediately following. The main characters are Admiral James Caldwell and his two sons, James Jr. and Louis Caldwell. James Sr. is the story teller as the navy family moves to London following the war until the depression of 1920. The purchase of 1600 acres called Spring Well in the novel is based upon the purchase of Chart Well by Winston Churchill in 1921. Winston Churchill faced a similar situation in his life at this time in history. Churchill entered the British army in 1893, fought at the battle of Khartoum with the Nile Expeditionary Forces in 1898 and was in the Boer War of 1899. He was elected to parliament for Oldham in 1900, was Under-secretary of State for the Colonies in 1906, married Clementine Hozier in 1908 and was Home Secretary in 1910. He served as First Lord of the Admiralty, Minister of Munitions and Secretary for War and Air during the war. In 1921 he was voted out of office and the House of Commons. The novel is a work of fiction. Its location was inspired by my time spent in London during the spring semester of 1974. The Rotary Foundation Group Exchange, district 114 in England invited a number of scholars from the United States to spend time in England living with various Rotarians of District 114. I was teaching at the University of Nebraska at the time, and I was chosen to represent District 565 of the United States. It was during this time that I came to know the people of Reigate, Redhill and Merstham, just south of London. This is where I met some of the characters for my novels London and Enigma. I stayed overnight in the Prince of Wales in Reigate, the Ashleigh Public House in Redhill and the Lakers Hotel in Merstham. The historical events which are outlined in this book all took place. The dates and locations are accurate, but the characters are the products of my overactive imagination. Some persons mentioned, however, are real. You cannot write about this period of our history without making reference to commanding admirals or generals.

About the author

Dan Ryan is Professor Emeritus, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina. He received his BA and MA degrees from the University of Northern Iowa, and his PhD from Pacific University. In his teaching career, he published sixteen textbooks, fifty-seven journal articles and numerous reports. He has been a frequent invited lecturer in the United States, England, Ireland, and China. His books have been translated into Russian, Polish and Chinese. He is also a member of the Tau Alpha Pi National Honor Society. He is an avid reader and student of American History. He has traveled to forty-seven countries on four continents. He has previously published fourteen books with Authorhouse and these are now available on WWW.Authorhouse.com. You can reach Dan via his email [e-mail]. Starting in May of 2009, Dan Ryan, began his Caldwell Series of novels set in Beaufort, South Carolina. Calm Before the Storm was quickly followed by Death before Dishonor and Lull After the Storm. The next year two more novels in the series have been added, Admirals and Generals and Admirals Son Generals Daughter. Late in 2010, two more novels were added, Jigsaw and Catywampus. This years selections are called War of the Nations, The General, London and Merryweather. Barnes and Nobel Book Club Two giant novels hit the scene in 2010, Admirals and Generals and Admirals Son Generals Daughter. These were close behind the heels of the Caldwell trilogy written in 2009. Dan Ryan has done it again with Jigsaw and Catywampus. Look for this years additions: War of the Nations, The General, London and Merryweather USMC. If you love history you will enjoy reading the Caldwell family experience through three generations. Amazon Book Club Dan Ryans latest new novel, Merryweather was given to each member of the club before our monthly meeting. The discussion after reading the book was lively and divided along national boundaries of North and South. Ryan is a southern writer, but he understands a federal point of view and complications created by the history of our military from 1817 to 1900. Lady Rockers Book Club