Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane

4.4 AVERAGE

marielor's profile picture

marielor's review against another edition

5.0
challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

meanderingfern's review against another edition

3.0
informative reflective medium-paced

idaroo's review against another edition

4.5
adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

leannap's review against another edition

4.25
I think I had too high expectations  for the third (Canadian) section of the book. I wanted the same centring of positive action as in the sections set in India and Ecuador. Instead his trip along the Canadian river is just about the author’s spiritual experience and nothing to do with practical research or actions. I appreciate that he did recognize the complexity of what it means for a river to be “alive” and what that means for projects like hydroelectric dams (even though his personal feeling and beliefs are against the building of dams). There are lots of good questions and not a lot of easy answers. 

I’d recommend the book overall. 

a_mcg's review against another edition

5.0
emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

matiapag's review against another edition

4.5
adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
thrillsprills's profile picture

thrillsprills's review against another edition

5.0
adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced
This is a book that truly challenged the way I think about the world and nature, with absolutely stunning prose, lovely storytelling, and interesting, passionate people throughout. I love everything Robert Macfarlane has written, and this is no exception. It's an important book, and one I will be thinking about for years to come. I also suspect I will never be able to look at or sit by a river with the same former nonchalance - I will always hold a sense of wonder and respect now. 

mpash7's review against another edition

4.25
adventurous informative reflective fast-paced
tspofalejandra's profile picture

tspofalejandra's review against another edition

4.0
challenging hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
If a river is alive, and can be killed, then should it not have rights? In a world where corporations have entire category of law reserved just for them, shouldn’t a river have at least as many rights? And who will speak for the river? I love this. The whole book has my heart. The information is mostly new to me. And the audiobook is read with birds chirping in the background sometimes which makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

corinnefurness's review against another edition

5.0
emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced