Driftwood: Escape and Survival Through Art

Australian History Young Adult Non-Fiction Family Saga Holocaust Memoir Refugee & Migration Biography Art Memoir Survival & Resilience Narrative

Driftwood: Escape and Survival Through Art is the gripping 2017 memoir of Austrian-born Eva de Jong-Duldig, whose childhood was shattered when Hitler annexed Austria. At just three years old Eva fled with her parents—first to Singapore, then to an Australian internment camp—before the family rebuilt life in post-war Melbourne. Told with the immediacy of a young adult novel yet rich enough for adult book-clubs, the narrative shows how creativity became the family’s passport to safety: Eva’s father, Karl Duldig, was a celebrated sculptor whose art won visas; Eva herself grew into an internationally exhibited artist and educator. The result is a rare fusion of refugee chronicle, Australian social history and art-world memoir, perfect for readers who loved The Hare with Amber Eyes or The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

What makes this paperback special is its demonstration of art as both lifeline and legacy. Readers witness clay and driftwood transformed—not only into sculpture that literally financed freedom, but into a philosophy that sustained three generations. De Jong-Duldig’s voice is intimate and hopeful, avoiding graphic horror while still honoring the trauma of displacement; teachers and parents commend it as an age-appropriate classroom resource on Holocaust migration to Australia. The book closes with Eva curating her parents’ work at the Duldig Gallery in Melbourne, proving that creativity can turn driftwood into monuments of survival.

This clean, tight copy is ready for immediate enjoyment—no previous owner marks, dog-ears or ex-libris plates, just light shelf evidence that whispers “well-loved.” Collectors of Australian art history, educators seeking diverse memoirs, or anyone hunting an uplifting true story will value this edition before it drifts out of the second-hand market.

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