My first Robert Macfarlane, but certainly enough to go by to see why people revere his books. Gorgeous, human nature writing.

With spellbinding & succinct lyrical phrases like: "The moon path flutters in the current.", MacFarlane narrates river adventures, introduces friends, and advocates for the rights of nature with deeply touching agility.

I admit I didn’t need any convincing that a river is alive, but I still very much enjoyed Robert MacFarlane’s journeys to investigate and collect evidence that this is true. I loved his approach that was certainly scientific but still poetic and evocative. In many ways this reminded me of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s books, which I adore. They have a very similar reverent and responsible outlook toward nature.

My four star rating is for the audiobook version - because I was listening I didn’t catch all of the names of places, people and other living things. I am going to purchase a hard copy so I can read it with more appreciation for the specifics of his work and look up more information when I need to.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

My favorite book of the year so far, Is a River Alive, had a profound emotional impact on me. I wept while listening to the audiobook at multiple points. Macfarlane is an incredibly skilled narrator in addition to being a wonderful writer. I will say, going in, my answer to the question was already yes. I grew up beside a river and spent much of my childhood playing, swimming, and just Being beside it. I was a lonely, homeschooled child with a wild imagination, and the river was a friend and guide. So, I came into this book already biased in favor of rivers. Still, the portraits that Macfarlane paints of the rivers he visits in this book, and of the many humans from all backgrounds who want to restore and protect them moved me beyond words. Beyond that, the picture this book paints of the possibilities of a world in which we respect the rights of rivers, mountains, and forests as living beings brought me a sense of courage and hope. As I finished this book, I was left with the question: "What can I do for the rivers?" I hope so many other readers will join me in asking that question.

I loved the narration. The author’s tone and pace was clear, and I enjoyed listening to him. I like his storytelling as well. The only reason the rating is a three instead of higher is because I just wasn’t as interested in the subject as I thought I would be. I appreciate Macfarlane’s writing, but just could not get real invested/interested in what he was telling me. I will definitely check out anything else he writes, though, because I do like his writing.

I love hiking, nature, and most of all rivers… I love just sitting next to the Hudson, breathing the air, smelling the water… and yes, I really do see the water as alive.

I thought the writing was beautiful. Scientific writing, with culture too. I found it a bit hard to connect to the writing, and it felt like it dragged, but still very beautifully written.

Thank you Net Galley and High Bridge Audio for an advanced copy of this book.

I am not finished with this book yet, but its about to be archived. I'm planning on purchasing and finishing it because I'm really enjoying it.

I had some technical difficulties on my own end in May so I missed a lot of the available time I had to listen to this book, but based on what I've heard thus far, I love it.

Robert Macfarlane is one of my favorite writers. I love the way he combines creativity, poetry, and emotion with real tangible natural phenomenon, sometimes calling on natural history, sometimes calling on natural science or casual storytelling, to paint a beautiful and authentic picture of the world around us. This book is no exception.

The thing about this book that really stands out to me in this book is the way that MacFarlane focuses on water and rivers in a somewhat unconventional way. Rarely have I seen such a specific but still artistic take on a nature topic. Typically when I come a cross a book about birds, tress, mushrooms, or the environment of a really small and specific area, its covers the topic in a very scientific way. Macfarlane's approach stands out as much more emotional and human than scientific. Not that this book in any way denies the value of science and indeed weaves in historical information and scientific information between more poetic emotional and philosophical musings while it explores a River or other body of water's "life". More than any other very specific nature book I've read, I find myself examining my own feelings and perceptions about rivers and water. Its easy to feel that a plant or a tree is alive, but it never occurred to me to see and think about a creek, a spring, or a river the same way. This book has sparked that new thinking. With this paradigm in my mind, I'm really looking forward to my next hike or day trip by a river.

Its also very nice to hear this story told in Robert MacFarlane's lovely, soothing voice that's clearly full of feeling on the subject matter he's sharing. I think when I purchase this, I will probably buy a physical copy so I can cherish having it in my own personal library, but I will try to keep his voice in my head so I can continue to read it with the same reverence he's trying to convey.

This book may end up being a 5-star for me, but I don't feel confident giving it anything higher than 4 stars until I've actually gotten to the end. When I find myself able to finish it, I will adjust my thoughts or rating if possible.

Reminiscent of Norman Maclean, Robert Macfarlane writes non-fiction that has the most beautiful prose about nature, something I typically expect only of fiction writers.

Is a River Alive? is a testament to the power of water in our world. Macfarlane gives you several stories that feature the impact of laws and conventions on the past, present, and future of our rivers. It's a compelling argument for preserving the great things that make our world, as well as a philosophical exploration of what life is. Beautifully read by the author, I would highly recommend the audio version.

Is a River Alive? is nature writer Robert Macfarlane’s latest effort to get us to see the world around us as multi-faceted, alive with creatures large and small, and filled with possibility — if only we humans would stop messing things up. 

Macfarlane takes us to several rivers around the world, each suffering from similar plights, including mining, pollution, damming, and climate change. It’s not all depressing, however, as Macfarlane also describes the efforts in New Zealand to have a river declared a tribal ancestor, identifying it as a legal person, which brings with it the right to representation and protection. To Macfarlance (and me), rivers are alive and urgently deserve our protection.

I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by Macfarlane. His expertise and passion ring through with each chapter. Highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC audio.

This was one of the few nonfiction books on my tbr for 2025 and I was satisfied with my choice. A solid audiobook choice for yard work, hiking, and road trips. This book weaves together research and the author’s experiential reporting surrounding the impact that humanity has had on rivers, working to answer the question, “is a river alive?”

Pacing of the writing was choppy for me. Narration by the author was excellent and could only have been better if it were David Attenborough.

I was expecting something more serious and less like a travelogue, but this was still an informative and intriguing read. The author made the people he met, the places he saw, and the things he experienced, very real for the reader. I loved it.