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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I enjoy reading nature non-fiction and this is fine but I have a feeling it won't stick with me. It seemed a little too long for the topic.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
beautiful, slightly melancholy but in a good way. Rob's finest book yet
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
This wonderful work of non-fiction begs the question, Is a River Alive? Robert MacFarland travels to three huge rivers that were/are the life force of their area, one in Ecuador, India, and the last only a few hundred kms from my own home on the East Coast of Canada.
He explores the vast systems of life, and in some cases lack thereof, around these major rivers, and how people have come together in attempts to protect them from further exploitation at the hands of big corporations and government policies.
He experiences miraculous species of flora, fauna, fungi, and even insects, while also mourning the destruction and loss of many others as we allow our rivers, the life blood of our planet to become heavily contaminated, poising anything that dare enter them.
It is simultaneously awe inspiring and heartbreaking.
"Rivers run through people as surely as they run through places."
"It is normalized that a corporation, in the eyes of the law, is an entity with legal standing and a suite of rights, including the right to sue — but that a river who has flowed for thousands of years has no rights at all."
When speaking of camps created in vast wildness to house, feed, and entertain hundreds of workers while major dams are built he points out that not only are we destroy vasts swaths of land only to abandon them once the work is finished, but "though employment levels rise significantly in the region during the construction or the Romaine Project, so did crime, divorce, social inequality, homelessness, and sexual transmitted infection rates."
As we exploit our resources we also exploit the people who live on and around them. This book really made me think differently about what 'progress' means. Is the destruction of the natural world around us really progress, or do we just call it that to make it easier to turn a blind eye to the vast, unending exploitation as long as it doesn't get to close too our own homes?
He explores the vast systems of life, and in some cases lack thereof, around these major rivers, and how people have come together in attempts to protect them from further exploitation at the hands of big corporations and government policies.
He experiences miraculous species of flora, fauna, fungi, and even insects, while also mourning the destruction and loss of many others as we allow our rivers, the life blood of our planet to become heavily contaminated, poising anything that dare enter them.
It is simultaneously awe inspiring and heartbreaking.
"Rivers run through people as surely as they run through places."
"It is normalized that a corporation, in the eyes of the law, is an entity with legal standing and a suite of rights, including the right to sue — but that a river who has flowed for thousands of years has no rights at all."
When speaking of camps created in vast wildness to house, feed, and entertain hundreds of workers while major dams are built he points out that not only are we destroy vasts swaths of land only to abandon them once the work is finished, but "though employment levels rise significantly in the region during the construction or the Romaine Project, so did crime, divorce, social inequality, homelessness, and sexual transmitted infection rates."
As we exploit our resources we also exploit the people who live on and around them. This book really made me think differently about what 'progress' means. Is the destruction of the natural world around us really progress, or do we just call it that to make it easier to turn a blind eye to the vast, unending exploitation as long as it doesn't get to close too our own homes?
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
With beautiful passages, we are guided through three experiences by Robert MacFarlane. First we explore a cloud forest of Ecuador, following a fungi expert as she discovers and maps out different fungal species. Next we go to the lagoons of India, where spiritual questions arise. We finish with a kayak trip through the Canadian rivers where it all comes together. Each journey is marked with unease as potential developments threaten the existence of the natural world.
I enjoyed the experience and how the writing put you in each location. With quirky characters, MacFarlane recreates his journey with astute observations.
My only complaint is how it felt like it was the same message inserted over and over again - rivers are alive and we need to protect them. I agree with this statement but felt it being said in basically the same format repeatedly made me a little bored with the material, skimming until I could become re-immersed in the experiences.
Still a worthwhile read if you enjoy nature and the interconnectedness of the world.
Thank you NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for a review
Thank you NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for a review
It is a rare occasion that I am aware of or get excited about new releases - Macfarlane is the exception. I managed to get my hands on a friend's copy of Is a River Alive? and flew through it. It has that rythm and beauty to the language that makes a Macfarlane sentence unmistakable. It has the referencing, retelling and interweaving of other people's words and stories. The control over the language is sharp as ever, but there is a sense of the intractableness of the subject matter, a true bewilderment on a very personal level, which made this one stand out to me. Macfarlane's writing has shaped so much of my thinking these past years, I've drifted down some unexpected paths on those currents, and I am sure this book will similarly seep down and mingle with and stir the waters in some way.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Macfarlane has written an enchanting and lovely book surrounding the question: is a river alive? While traveling to three different rivers, he tries to answer this question and dispel the notion that one must have a 'consciousness' to be alive. Does the river not flow? Does a river's health not matter? Do some not care for rivers as we would for each other? He also raises the question of whether a river should have legal standing--and how activist groups have succeeded in acquiring river-based legislation.
Macfarlane also meets with plenty of interesting folks, including a mycologist, a gentleman living in the jungle, men who try to save baby turtles, and an indigenous woman who instructs him how to interact with the land.
Truly a stunning book--it's especially recommended for those who love nature, learning about the climate, and exploring new lands.
Macfarlane also meets with plenty of interesting folks, including a mycologist, a gentleman living in the jungle, men who try to save baby turtles, and an indigenous woman who instructs him how to interact with the land.
Truly a stunning book--it's especially recommended for those who love nature, learning about the climate, and exploring new lands.