Few individuals have lived such quiet and unassuming lives only to find their way into historical memory quite like writer and artist Harlan Hubbard (1900-1988). While some know of the Kentuckian's sojourn with his wife, Anna, and their determination to living outside the mainstream in a shantyboat on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, few know of his artistry with watercolors or that his simple-life mentality did not evolve until he was in his late thirties. Much like his revered predecessor Henry David Thoreau, Hubbard retreated into the wilderness to live a life of simplicity, sustainability, and purpose. In this comprehensive biography, Jessica Whitehead reveals the importance of Hubbard's place in American history and the impact of his legacy on modern environmentalist and sustainability movements. Driftwood delves into Hubbard's family genealogy and relationships, his education and creative development, and his theories on art, literature, and philosophy. Using journals, an unpublished manuscript, and other primary sources, Whitehead pieces together the various stages of Hubbard's early life, from his education to his relationships with his parents and brother, and how they helped shape the mentality that Hubbard is so well-known for today. Before Hubbard chose a life beyond capitalism and modern technology, he struggled deeply with his identity and lifestyle. By examining Hubbard's perspective of American culture through literature and art, Whitehead helps draw the line between the person sitting on the riverbank grappling with his purpose to the man floating down the Ohio pursuing a life of sacrifice and intentionality.

Going beyond Wendell Berry's nearly thirty-year-old biography, Whitehead expands upon Hubbard's personal life and casts a wider cultural net to associate Hubbard with other iconic American thinkers and artists. Presented is a vivid and legible portrait of the man and traces he left behind--books, journals, watercolor sketches, a handcrafted and rustic homestead in Trimble County at Payne Hollow, and a template for a sustainable, simple life.