Reseña del libro "Is a River Alive? A Journey with Water"
From celebrated writer Robert Macfarlane comes this brilliant, perspective-shifting new book – which answers a resounding yes to the question of its title.
At its heart is a single, transformative idea: that rivers are not mere matter for human use, but living beings – who should be recognized as such in both imagination and law. Is a River Alive? takes the reader on an exhilarating exploration of the past, present and futures of this ancient, urgent concept.
The book flows first to northern Ecuador, where a miraculous cloud-forest and its rivers are threatened by goldmining.
Then, to the wounded rivers, creeks and lagoons of southern India, where a desperate battle to save the lives of these waterbodies is under way.
And finally, to north-eastern Quebec, where a spectacular wild river – the Mutehekau or Magpie – is being defended from death by damming in a river-rights campaign.
At once Macfarlane’s most personal and most political book to date, Is a River Alive? will open hearts, spark debates and lead us to the revelation that our fate flows with that of rivers – and always has.
Everyone who has ever found something to love in a river should find something to love in this book. It is a masterpiece - The Economist
One of the big publishing events (if not the biggest) of 2025 – a new book by Robert Macfarlane . . . Personal as well as political, it’s almost as certain to shift readerly perspectives as it is to be a bestseller - Observer, ‘Nonfiction to look forward to in 2025’
The book is a delight . . . So stirring, so surprising, so acute - The Times
Is a River Alive? is a powerful synthesis of literature, activism and ethics, reshaping the way we perceive the natural world - Alex Preston, Observer
Whether fiction or non-fiction, all great books make you look at the world anew – and Macfarlane’s has changed the way I think about the natural world. In it, he explores the idea that rivers are not objects or resources but living beings, and by the end, that idea feels self-evident . . . A lyrical, persuasive invitation to look again at how we treat the systems that sustain us – and one of the year’s most necessary books - I Paper, '10 Best Books of the Year'
The narrative pull is strong in this book. I kept wanting to go back to it. Macfarlane has yet again demonstrated his genius as an author in creating a book that is alive, that has personality, that talked to me. I was sad when it ended. It has flowed into my daily thoughts ever since, much like a river continues to flow into the sea - Evening Standard
Beautiful, wild and wildly provocative - New Scientist
Macfarlane confronts the realities of the living, beating heart of the riverine world . . . With crystalline clarity and force, Macfarlane confronts the gross failure of our existing laws to protect rivers from harm . . . Such ideas are brought to life by the quality of the writing, the evocation of mood and place, the raw smells and energies that accompany Macfarlane, whether on a gentle walk into a Cambridge wood, or hurtling with mortal speed down a Canadian rapid - Financial Times
Impassioned and invigorating . . . Macfarlane is erudite and eclectic, and, though charismatic, doesn’t press his presence upon you. His books are adventurous, often involving truly remarkable companions; and at the sentence level no one could accuse him of painting by numbers . . . - Spectator
Macfarlane is England’s best nature writer, and once again his prose sings, its rhythm mirroring the subject matter. It’s liquid (or riverine) – surging, eddying and magnificently alive - The Spectator, 'Books of the Year II'
Robert Macfarlane es un escritor, ensayista y académico británico nacido el 19 de marzo de 1976 en Inglaterra. Es conocido por sus obras que exploran la relación entre los humanos y el paisaje, combinando naturaleza, geografía, historia y literatura.
Se formó en la Universidad de Cambridge, donde estudió Inglés y Filosofía, y posteriormente se especializó en literatura y geografía, desarrollando un estilo que mezcla narrativa, poesía y observación científica del entorno natural. Su obra destaca por la profundidad lírica y el compromiso con la conservación del medio ambiente.
Entre sus libros más conocidos se encuentran Mountains of the Mind, The Old Ways y Underland, todos ellos aclamados por la crítica por su capacidad de evocar lugares y explorar la memoria, la cultura y la percepción del paisaje. Además, ha trabajado como editor y colaborador en revistas literarias y ambientales.
Macfarlane ha recibido numerosos premios por su labor literaria, incluyendo el Guardian First Book Award y el Wainwright Prize. Su estilo ha influido en la literatura contemporánea de naturaleza, y es considerado una de las voces más importantes en el ámbito del ensayo ambiental y la exploración del paisaje.
Además, participa activamente en conferencias y talleres de escritura, fomentando la apreciación del entorno natural y la literatura como herramientas de reflexión sobre la relación humana con la Tierra.
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