At its core is a revolutionary idea: that rivers are not just materials for human use, but living things—and should be recognized as such in fiction and law. Inspired by activists, artists, and legislators from the emerging "rights of nature" movement, Macfarlane takes the reader on a fascinating exploration of the past, present, and future of this ancient and urgent concept.

Is the river alive? It flows like water from the mountains to the sea, over three main journeys:
The first is to northern Ecuador, where the miraculous cloud forest and its rivers are being destroyed by gold mining.

The second is to the wounded rivers, bays and lakes of South India, where a desperate battle is raging to save the lives of these bodies of water.

Third, to northeastern Quebec, where a stunning wild river—the Mottihikaw or Magpie—is being defended from extinction by damming in a campaign for river rights.

These journeys weave the life story of the fragile chalk stream that rises a mile from Macfarlane's home, and flows through his years and days.

Emotional, immersive, and revelatory, Is a River Alive? is Macfarlane's most personal and most political book to date. It will open hearts, spark conversations, and challenge perspectives. Inspired by other minds and voices, it radically invites us to reimagine not just rivers, but life itself. At the heart of this vital and beautiful book is the recognition that our fate flows with the fate of rivers—and always has.