Robert Macfarlane

Archipelago is one of the most important and influential literary magazines of the last twenty years. Running to twelve editions, it was edited by Andrew McNeillie, with the assistance later of James McDonald Lockhart, and began as an attempt to reimagine the relationships between the islands of Ireland and Britain. Archipelago has brought together established and emerging artists in creative conversations that have transformed the study of islands, coasts and waterways. It journeys from the Shetlands to Cornwall, from the Aran Islands to the coast of Yorkshire, tracing the cultures of diverse zones through some of the best in contemporary writing about place and people. This collection gathers poetry, prose and visual art in clusters grouped around the Irish and British archipelago, with contributions from an array of significant artists. It includes newly commissioned work as well as an interview between Andrew McNeillie and Robert Macfarlane on the development of Archipelago across the years.

Seventy years after the adoption of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the UK is guilty of undermining the very principles of asylum, inhumanely detaining those seeking protection and ushering in sweeping changes that threaten to punish refugees at every turn. But the UK’s immigration system is not alone in committing such breaches of human rights. The fourth volume of Refugee Tales explores our present international environment, combining author re-tellings with first-hand accounts of individuals who have been detained across the world. As the coronavirus pandemic defies borders – leaving those who are detained even more vulnerable – this collection shares stories spanning Canada, Greece, Italy, Switzerland and the UK, and calls for international insistence on a future without detention. Featuring a prologue by Baroness Shami Chakrabarti. The fourth volume in the Refugee Tales series, proceeds from the sales of which go to two refugee charities.

With contributions by: William Boyd, Candice Carty-Williams, Imtiaz Dharker, Roddy Doyle, Pico Iyer, Robert Macfarlane, Andy Miller, Jackie Morris, Jan Morris, Sisonke Msimang, Dina Nayeri, Chigozie Obioma, Michael Ondaatje, David Pilling, Max Porter, Philip Pullman, Alice Pung, Jancis Robinson, S.F.Said, Madeleine Thien, Salley Vickers, John Wood and Markus Zusak'This story, like so many stories, begins with a gift. The gift, like so many gifts, was a book...' So begins the essay by Robert Macfarlane that inspired this collection. In this cornucopia of an anthology, you will find essays by some of the world's most beloved novelists, nonfiction writers, essayists and poets. 'You will see books taking flight in flocks, migrating around the world, landing in people's hearts and changing them for a day or a year or a lifetime. 'You will see books sparking wonder or anger; throwing open windows into other languages, other cultures, other minds; causing people to fall in love or to fight for what is right. 'And more than anything, over and over again, you will see books and words being given, received and read - and in turn prompting further generosity.' Published to coincide with the 20th anniversary of global literacy non-profit, Room to Read, The Gifts of Reading forms inspiring, unforgettable, irresistible proof of the power and necessity of books and reading.Inspired by Robert Macfarlane Curated by Jennie Orchard

A world first: This stunning introduction to Los Cedros Cloud Forest is told by internationally acclaimed author Robert Macfarlane, groundbreaking instrumentalist and composer Cosmo Sheldrake, and by the forest itself This beautiful book is a vital act of nature activism in its own right. Turn the elaborately illustrated pages to discover the extraordinary plants, animals, and fungi of Los Cedros Cloud Forest, one of the most biologically diverse habitats on Earth. Then, fold the pages out to create a grand panoramic scene that explores the delicate interconnectedness of nature. Brought to you by the MOTH collective--an interdisciplinary group of world-class creatives and legal advocates who merge art and law to champion "more than human" rights--this book marks a publishing first: the Los Cedros Cloud Forest will have its moral rights asserted as a cocreator, the first time a natural being has been legally recognized in the publishing world. Spectacular, innovative and timely, this book draws you into the magical natural world of the cloud forest, created in collaboration with the forest itself.

Featuring more than 600 awe-inspiring images curated by Stephen Ellcock, Ark is a celebration of the living wonders of this planet. In this remarkable volume, Stephen Ellcock presents a vast treasury of diverse images from all five kingdoms of nature – from microscopic wonders and interconnected fungi to healing plants and the multitude of miraculous animal species that share our world. Together, illuminating captions, eye-opening essays by experts and extraordinary images present an optimistic vision of abundance, beauty and utility – a living world that we have the power to protect. The book begins with foreword by award-winning writer Robert Macfarlane on the interconnection of nature. An essay by best-selling author Sarah Perry discusses the concept of the ark and the story of the flood. Stephen Ellcock then presents his curation of the myriad forms of life depicted by humanity throughout history. Quotations by artists, scientists and ecologists punctuate the pages, enlightening captions reflect on the artistry and the special qualities of specific species, and symbols highlight which of the species pictured are at risk of extinction. Set among the curated images are three essays by celebrated nature writers: Harriet Rix, Helen Scales and Stephen Moss. Each writer guides readers through some of the intricate, life-sustaining relationships that populate nature’s elemental realms of earth, water and air and outlines some of the threats that climate change and human actions pose.

Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris asked for this new album to be created as a companion piece to their forthcoming book The Book of Birds. They have worked closely with the 7 featured folk/world musicians (Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis, Kris Drever, Seckou Ketia, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter and Jim Molyneux) to create a mixed media book and CD which brings together writing, art, music and nature. The album itself takes the form of a beautifully designed square box filled with art cards featuring newly commissioned art by Jackie Morris, a hard back CD book with newly commissioned art by Jackie, documentary photography of the collaborative process, a comprehensive article by Robert Macfarlane discussing the ways in which different art forms can inspire one another as well as beautiful writing from each of the musicians. The CD itself is housed within the CD Book. There is also a pull out (concertina) artwork of a migration by Jackie Morris created especially for this mixed media book. The Book of Birds (this album's inspiration) is a love letter to the splendours and mysteries of birdlife, and a clarion call to halt the loss of birds from land, sea and sky. Both the book and this new album are a poetic and creative response to the great thinning of our skies. "This album is a tremendous and powerful thing...singing bright and fierce right into our contemporary moment". Robert Macfarlane

Enjoy stunning images and moving words in your home or office with The Lost Spells 2027 Wall Calendar based on the poetry book by award-winning duo Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris. This calendar calls readers to notice the natural beauty that can be lost amidst the busyness of life. Retreat into the tranquil brushstroke illustrations with thoughtful psalms about everyday species. Featuring 12 full breathtaking and stunning illustrations of nature and animals Bonus spread for September–December 2026 Generous grids for adding appointments and reminders Includes major official world holidays Opens to 12 inches x 24 inches

C mo las aguas moldean el mundo, influyen en nuestro pensamiento y forjan nuestro futuro. Una obra maestra . --The Economist Transforma nuestra manera de percibir el mundo natural . --The Observer Hermoso, salvaje y provocador hasta el extremo . --New Scientist En el coraz n de este libro late una idea nica y transformadora: los r os no son mera materia al servicio del ser humano, sino seres vivos que merecen ser reconocidos como tales, en nuestra imaginaci n y tambi n ante la ley. Guiado por activistas, artistas y legisladores del movimiento por los Derechos de la Naturaleza, Robert Macfarlane nos gu a, en un viaje global y profundo, por lugares donde esta verdad olvidada vuelve a emerger. El relato fluye como el agua a lo largo de tres grandes traves as: desde el bosque nuboso de Los Cedros, en el norte de Ecuador, donde un r o atraviesa un ecosistema amenazado por la miner a del oro; pasando por los r os invisibles que discurren bajo la ciudad de Madr s, al sur de la India; hasta el nordeste de Quebec, donde el ind mito r o Magpie resiste los embates de los proyectos hidroel ctricos. Entretejiendo estos viajes aparece tambi n la historia ntima de un peque o arroyo que fluye cerca de la casa del autor y su familia, cuyas vidas han transcurrido, casi sin saberlo, al ritmo de sus aguas. Est n vivos los r os? es el libro m s personal y pol tico de Macfarlane: una obra luminosa que invita a reimaginar no solo los r os, sino tambi n la vida misma, y a reconocer que nuestro destino siempre ha fluido junto al suyo. ENGLISH DESCRIPTION A New York Times Bestseller A #1 Sunday Times (UK) Bestseller Finalist for the 2025 Banff Mountain Book Competition in Environmental Literature Longlisted for the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction Named a Best Book of 2025 by The New Yorker, Economist, Guardian, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly - One of TIME's 100 Must-Read Books of 2025 - One of NPR's "Books We Love" for 2025 - One of Smithsonian Magazine's Ten Best Science Books of 2025 - A Chicago Public Library Top 10 Favorite Book of 2025 - A Washington Post Notable Work of Nonfiction for 2025 From the bestselling author of Underland and "the great nature writer...of this generation" (Wall Street Journal), a revelatory book that transforms how we imagine rivers―and life itself. A brilliant, perspective-shifting new book, which answers a resounding "yes" to the question of its title, from the celebrated writer, observer, and naturalist Robert Macfarlane. At the heart of Is a River Alive? 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. Macfarlane takes the reader on a mind-expanding global journey into the history, futures, people and places of the ancient, urgent concept. Around the world, rivers are dying from pollution, drought and damming. But a powerful movement is also underway to recognize the lives and the rights of rivers, and to re-animate our relationships with these vast, mysterious presences whose landscapes we share. The young "rights of nature" movement has lit up activists, artists, law-makers and politicians across six continents--and become the focus for revolutionary thinking about rivers in particular. The book flows like water, from the mountains to the sea, over three major journeys. The first is to northern Ecuador, where a miraculous cloud-forest and its rivers are threatened with destruction by Canadian gold-mining. The second is to the wounded rivers, creeks and lagoons of southern India, where a desperate battle to save the lives of these waterbodies is underway. The third is to northeastern Quebec, where a spectacular wild river--the Mutehekau or Magpie--is being defended from death by damming in a river-rights campaign led by an extraordinary Innu poet and leader called Rita Mestokosho. Is a River Alive? is at once a literary work of art, a rallying cry and a catalyst for change. It is a book that will open hearts, spark debates and challenge perspectives. A clarion call to re-centre rivers in our stories, law and politics, it invites us to radically re-imagine not only rivers but life itself. At the heart of this vital, beautiful book is the recognition that our fate flows with that of rivers--and always has.

Hailed in the New York Times as "a naturalist who can unfurl a sentence with the breathless ease of a master angler," Robert Macfarlane brings his glittering style to a profound work of travel writing, reportage, and natural history. Is a River Alive? is a joyful, mind-expanding exploration of an ancient, urgent idea: that rivers are living beings who should be recognized as such in imagination and law. Macfarlane takes readers on three unforgettable journeys teeming with extraordinary people, stories, and places: to the miraculous cloud-forests and mountain streams of Ecuador, to the wounded creeks and lagoons of India, and to the spectacular wild rivers of Canada--imperiled respectively by mining, pollution, and dams. Braiding these journeys is the life story of the fragile chalk stream a mile from Macfarlane's house, a stream who flows through his own years and days. Powered by dazzling prose and lit throughout by other minds and voices, Is a River Alive? will open hearts, challenge perspectives, and remind us that our fate flows with that of rivers--and always has.

The Book of Birds is a field guide with a difference: It shows readers not just how to identify birds, but also how to identify with them. Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris conjure the unique spirit of nearly fifty once-common species: avocet to yellowhammer, kestrel to kingfisher, skylark to nightingale. In lyrical and incantatory essays, Macfarlane describes each bird's habits and habitats, their patterns of flight and patterns of song, how they hunt or fish or scavenge or gather, how they nest and raise their chicks, the myths that attend them, the threats that shadow them--and how their lives intersect with our own. On every page we encounter Morris's exhilarating artwork, painted from life in watercolor and gold leaf, and animated with an extraordinary attention to detail. The Book of Birds is a love letter to the thrilling variety and mysteries of birdlife, and a clarion call to halt the rapid depletion of our skies.

From the creators of the internationally bestselling, award-winning, multi-adapted phenomenon The Lost Words: a dazzling celebration of birdlife in Britain, re-imagining the classic field guide for a new generation of nature lovers A great thinning of the skies is underway. Around 50% of bird species are in decline worldwide. Our dawns and springs are quieter each year than the last. An almost unimaginable abundance has been lost. It does not have to be this way –– but we will not save what we do not love. The Book of Birds is a compendium of forty-nine bird species, from Avocet to Yellowhammer, all of which are declining or endangered in Britain. Inspired by the classic bird-books with which the authors grew up, this is a field guide with a difference. It asks not ‘What is that bird?’, but ‘Who is that bird?’ It shows its readers how to identify birds, but also how to identify with them. With lyrical precision and playfulness, Robert Macfarlane evokes each bird’s habits and habitats –– their patterns of flight and of song, how they hunt and gather, how they nest and raise their young, the stories and myths which attend them, the threats which shadow them, and how their wild lives intersect with our own. And on every page we encounter Jackie Morris’s exhilarating artwork, painted in watercolour and gold and animated by an extraordinary attention to detail and sense of life. Set among this dazzling flock of species are seven sections celebrating the 'Seven Wonders' that together make up the everyday miracle of 'Bird': Nest, Egg, Beak, Song, Feather, Flight and Migration. Seven years in the making, The Book of Birds is a love letter to the splendours and mysteries of birdlife, and a clarion call to halt the loss of birds from land, sea and sky. From Dipper to Dunnock and Kestrel to Kingfisher, from mountain to ocean and city to river, Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane conjure the unique spirit and lifeway of each species. This is a book to be treasured by bird-lovers of all ages, and a future classic work of reference.

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

I denna hyllade bok gör Robert Macfarlane en upptäcktsresa till jordens inre. Han söker där människans drömmar, farhågor och djupast begravda hemligheter. Han vandrar genom Paris katakomber, letar efter förhistorisk konst i nordiska undervattensgrottor och spejar ner i slovenska slukhål; han besöker forskningsstationer, glaciärer och underjordiska förvar av radioaktivt avfall. Macfarlane låter människans korta tidshorisont möta jordens långsamma skiftningar. Frågan han ställer är: Vad lämnar vi efter oss? Underland blev Robert Macfarlanes stora internationella genombrott. Det är en exceptionell natur- och reseskildring men också storartad kulturhistoria, där underjordens lockelse och betydelse utforskas av en av vår tids allra främsta naturskildrare. ”En svindlande och vidunderlig resa genom underjorden” Dagens Nyheter ”En av seklets bästa böcker” The Guardian ”Man stiger upp ur denna överjordiskt vackra resa i underjorden med en känsla av melankoli men kanske ännu mer av förpliktelse och förundran. Berg kan sjunka, djup stå upp. Robert Macfarlanes Underland gör världen levande igen.” Björn Wiman, Dagens Nyheter ”Underland är utan tvekan Macfarlanes magnum opus – ett verk som vuxit fram under nära ett decennium av fördjupning och eftertanke.” The Guardian Robert Macfarlane är professor i litteratur och miljöhumaniora vid Emmanuel College i Cambridge. Macfarlanes författarskap kretsar kring miljö, klimat, landskap och människor – och inte minst naturens rättigheter. Hans böcker har översatts till mer än trettio språk och belönats med priser världen över. Dessutom har han skrivit operor, pjäser och filmmanus. År 2017 tilldelades han EM Forster-priset för litteratur av American Academy of Arts and Letters och 2023 mottog han i Toronto det nyinstiftade Weston International Award för framstående livsgärning inom facklitteratur.

Robert Macfarlane utforskar i denna vackra bok en uråldrig men högst aktuell tanke: att floder inte bara är vatten i landskap utan levande väsen, värda att älskas, lyssnas till – och skyddas. Med sin karakteristiska poetiska stil tar Macfarlane med oss på tre storslagna resor: genom Ecuadors molnskogar, Indiens sargade vattenvägar och Kanadas vilda floder. Parallellt löper berättelsen om den stillsamma bäck som rinner nära hans hem – och genom hans liv. Har floden ett liv? utgör en fängslande väv av reseskildring, naturhistoria och idévärld. En bok som öppnar våra ögon, vidgar våra hjärtan och påminner oss om att människans öde sedan tidens början är sammanbundet med flodernas. Den brittiske forskaren Robert Macfarlane anses vara en av vår tids allra främsta naturskildrare. Han har som författare blivit känd för sina poetiska och djupt reflekterande böcker om landskap, språk och människans relation till naturen. Hans verk, däribland Underland, har hyllats internationellt, blivit prisbelönta och översatta till många språk.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING. 'Captivating' - New Scientist 'A wondrous work of walking, seeing and thinking' - Robert Macfarlane 'A startlingly brilliant and moving debut' - William Dalrymple A deep observation of coast and wetland, climate and self, by a leading Indian ecological activist. Introduction by Robert Macfarlane. Written in spellbinding prose, Intertidal reveals an unseen world. We hear frog calls through the night, spot butterflies miles into the ocean, see the churning of longshore currents, and meditate on worms' composting abilities. We also witness communities standing together to preserve the homes of the coast's inhabitants, both human and non-human. Intertidal asks us to reimagine values to live by; heeding the natural world, attending to the climate's calling, and moving away from the old political and cultural values that have proven ecologically disastrous. Set in beaches, marshes, and the wild places of the mind, Intertidal revels in the healing power of nature and explores what it means to reclaim an ecology that has been colonised.

From two of the UK's best-known book makers, Robert Macfarlane and Luke Adam Hawker, comes a stunning picture book to ignite wonder in readers everywhere.In the darkness of December,Through the winter's deepest snowing,When the world is steep in camber,And all hope is downwards-flowing -Then's the time to seek what's glowing... Written in lyrical verse, this story follows one light-seeking child who discovers a meadow illuminated by fireflies: "fallen constellations" that dance like stars among the summer grasses, setting fears to flight. Enchanting to read aloud and exquisite to hold in the hand, each scene is rendered in spellbinding detail, showing the power of hope in a world steeped in darkness.The first in an upcoming trilogy, Firefly is sure to appeal to all ages -An uplifting and lyrical story of light, hope and wonder -With words from beloved and bestselling author, Robert Macfarlane, creator of The Lost Words and The Lost Spells -Stunning artwork created from original etchings by Luke Adam Hawker, whose debut book Together was a Sunday Times bestseller -Spectacular gift book, cloth bound with a copper foiled cover -This accessible story is perfect for children, and adults, ages 4 and above

The first title in the forthcoming Night Creatures trilogy, created by two of the U.K.'s best- known book makers: Robert Macfarlane and Luke Adam Hawker. From two of the U.K.'s best-known book makers, Robert Macfarlane and Luke Adam Hawker, comes a stunning picture book to ignite wonder in readers everywhere. In the darkness of December, Through the winter's deepest snowing, When the world is steep in camber, And all hope is downwards-flowing Then's the time to seek what's glowing... Written in lyrical verse, this story follows one sun-seeking child who discovers a meadow illuminated by fireflies: "fallen constellations" that dance like stars among the summer grasses, setting fears to flight. Enchanting to read aloud and exquisite to hold in the hand, each scene is rendered in spellbinding detail, showing the power of hope in a world steeped in darkness. The first in an upcoming trilogy, Firefly is sure to appeal to all ages -An uplifting and lyrical story of light, hope, and wonder -With words from beloved and New York Times' bestselling author, Robert Macfarlane, creator of The Lost Words and The Lost Spells -Stunning artwork created from original etchings by Luke Adam Hawker, whose debut book Together was a Sunday Times bestseller -Spectacular gift book, cloth bound with a copper foiled cover -This accessible story is perfect for children, and adults, ages 7 and above