Is a River Alive? Robert Macfarlane’s New Book Explores the Spirit and Stories of Waterways

Imagine standing beside a river not as a spectator, but as a witness to a living being.
That’s the invitation Robert Macfarlane extends in his groundbreaking new release, Is a River Alive?, a mesmerizing exploration of the legal, spiritual, and ecological vitality of the world’s rivers.

Macfarlane, known for masterpieces like Underland and The Old Ways, ventures into new territory with this urgent and lyrical investigation. He travels through Ecuador, India, and Canada. He immerses readers in cultures where rivers are more than resources. They are relatives, guardians, and voices in their own right.

In Is a River Alive?, Macfarlane sheds light on the growing global movement to grant rivers legal rights—an idea championed by indigenous communities for centuries and now gaining traction in modern law. New Zealand’s Whanganui River, for instance, is recognized as a legal entity, entitled to protection just like a citizen. Macfarlane’s vivid storytelling highlights these revolutionary shifts. It weaves in case studies and personal encounters. It includes haunting reflections on humanity’s fraught relationship with nature.

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Emotionally charged yet intellectually rigorous, Is a River Alive? challenges readers to rethink their assumptions about ownership, stewardship, and survival. It’s not just a book. It’s a call to listen, to protect, and to reimagine the world’s waterways as fellow travelers on our shared journey.

Macfarlane’s latest work serves two purposes. It is a balm for fans of environmental literature. It is also a battle cry for those concerned about the future of our planet.

Is a River Alive? is available now through major booksellers. Prepare to be changed.

Source: The Times UK