Is a River Alive?

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Robert Macfarlane’s Is a River Alive? takes readers on a journey through the evolving mythic, cultural, social, economic, and political conceptions of rivers. He focuses on the modern-day struggles and triumphs of renewing the vitality of wild waters, with particular attention to Los Cedros in Ecuador’s Amazon cloud forests, the Adyar in India, and the Mutehekau Shipu in Quebec. Macfarlane explores the profound question of a river’s lifeforce and consciousness, emphasizing the undeniable vitality of watersheds beyond their benefits to human life.

With thoughtful, wide-eyed observations, Macfarlane reveals the worldviews that have led people across cultures to rediscover ancient knowledge of humanity’s interdependence with the natural world. Through stories of individuals such as Cosmo, Giuliana, and Yuvan—who, with immense courage, risked their lives and livelihoods—he shows how rivers have been safeguarded from exploitative extraction and environmental contamination.

As the climate crisis accelerates, this book delivers a vision of resilience. Decades of work by Indigenous activists, scientists, and environmentalists show that upholding the “Rights of Nature” is not only possible but already underway. Macfarlane’s humility before the sacredness of rivers transforms these accounts into narratives of survival and testaments of hope.

Is a River Alive? is a call to reimagine our relationship with the planet. At a time when despair about our ecological future feels overwhelming, Macfarlane shows us that renewal, resistance, and reverence remain within reach.

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in San Diego Book Review.