Is A River Alive by Robert Macfarlane (Signed Independent Bookshop Edition)

From £25.00

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.  This is the signed Independent Bookshop Edition. Copies will also be stamped by the Author with exclusive endpapers designed by Daniel Coe. The book will include a ribbon marker, plus an additional content – an extra page at the end of the Book containing a ‘Riversong.’ This is a broadsheet poem written by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Nick Hayes. Whilst stocks last, pre orders will also receive a limited edition pin badge.

Published 1st May 2025 (Preorder)
£25.00
£28.00
£33.00

About the Book…

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.

About the Author…

Robert Macfarlane is internationally renowned for his writing on nature, people and place. His bestselling books include Underland, Landmarks, The Old Ways, The Wild Places and Mountains of the Mind, as well as a book-length prose-poem, Ness. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages, won prizes around the world, and been widely adapted for film, music, theatre, radio and dance. He has also written operas, plays, and films including River and Mountain, both narrated by Willem Dafoe. He has collaborated closely with artists including Olafur Eliasson and Stanley Donwood, and with the artist Jackie Morris he co-created the internationally bestselling books of nature-poetry and art, The Lost Words and The Lost Spells. As a lyricist and performer, he has written albums and songs with musicians including Cosmo Sheldrake, Karine Polwart and Johnny Flynn, with whom he has released two albums, Lost In The Cedar Wood (2021) and The Moon Also Rises (2023). In 2017, the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded him the E.M. Forster Prize for Literature, and in 2022 in Toronto he was the inaugural winner of the Weston International Award for a body of work in the field of non-fiction. He is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and is currently completing his third book with Jackie Morris: The Lost Birds.

About the Illustrators…

Stanley Donwood – Dan Rickwood, known professionally as Stanley Donwood, is an English artist and writer. Since 1994, he has created all the artwork for the rock band Radiohead with their singer, Thom Yorke, plus many of Yorke’s other projects, including Atoms for Peace and the Smile.

Daniel CoeAs the graphics editor for the Washington Geological Survey, Daniel creates stunning visualizations that not only aid in understanding natural hazards and geology but also uncover the dynamic beauty of landscapes, particularly rivers.
Nick Hayes – Nick Hayes is a British writer, illustrator, and campaigner for land access. He has written a number of graphic novels and a non-fiction book, The Book of Trespas
Binding

Hardback

Author

Robert Macfarlane

ISBN

9780241624814

Page Count

384

Published

1st May 2025

Publisher

Hamish Hamilton

Optional Extras

We have lots of bookish add-ons available! From Bookmarks to mini wax melt burners, book holders, book baskets, coffee and chocolate – we have plenty of items to add something a little special. Take a look at all of our options here.

* Gallery images of our book boxes show an example of what may be included – treat and gift content may differ. If a wax melt bar is included, scent is subject to availability and may differ. If you have any dietary needs or allergies please add a note at checkout.

SignedComing Soon