This image is the cover for the book The Land of Bondage

The Land of Bondage

The tranquil dawn of April 20, 1997, in the blossoming town of Cambridge Springs, PA, unexpectedly veers into the precipice of a global cataclysm. World peace teeters on the edge as a confrontation unfolds between a Soviet nuclear submarine and a U.S. vessel in the chilly waters off Alaska’s coast, a moment in history that threatens to plummet humanity into a nightmarish abyss.

On this fateful morning, Ben Forsythe, the esteemed mayor of Cambridge Springs, orchestrates a delightful lawn party at his elegant estate, hosting the town’s dignitaries. While his wife is away in Philadelphia, a myriad of guests, including the endearing yet cantankerous Shuler Whitfield, grace the event. Unbeknownst to them, this idyllic gathering is but the calm before a storm of apocalyptic proportions.

A few hours hence, Ben finds himself awakened amidst the ruins of his once grand abode, the echoes of a fiery cataclysm reverberating through the charred remains of his haven. The ghastly spectacle of devastation unveils itself as he steps into a world mourning the loss of life, his guests and housekeeper now mere memories amidst the ashes. The sorrow-laden trees and the silence of the land accompany Ben’s desperate gaze as he scans the horizon, a solitary figure yearning for a sign of humanity amidst the gloom.

With a heart heavy yet undeterred, Ben embarks on an odyssey of survival in a world unhinged from its yesteryears of peace. The Land of Bondage unfolds a chilling narrative of a nuclear showdown between the Soviet Union and the U.S., painting a stark yet compelling tale that mirrors the looming fears of a world on the brink. Readers traversing through this haunting narrative will find themselves entwined with a dire prophecy, a harrowing reminder of a path that must never be tread.

Eli Eden

Eli Eden (David Gaston, MD) is a physician who lived in North Carolina most of his life. He was born in Winston Salem but has practiced neurology throughout the Great Lakes region, including Ohio, Michigan, and briefly Wisconsin as well. His vast experience as a physician, as well as his other work with common men and women, taught him much about the innate feelings, courage, and fears of a vast number of people, whom this story is about. His philosophy and insights about life have also engendered respect for humanity and our planet. It has inspired him to realize that our continued existence requires responsibility.


He now lives in close proximity to his adult children and grandchildren, in close contact with his brothers, sisters, and in-laws, whom he loves very dearly. The book was shared with his wife, Pamela Annette Dugan Gaston. Even though she has passed away, she remains in our thoughts. He enjoys camping, backpacking, archery, gardening, and religion. His hope is peace and the survival of humanity in the best possible way. God bless America and the world.



Austin Macauley Publishers