Safe Return Doubtful

Books concerning environmental ethics tend to be depressing; what they tell us is almost all bad news. MacFarlane’s latest therefore, is a breath of fresh air in that he unearths characters that are truly inspirational in their endeavours and their passion for their rivers.

Macfarlane travels to, and explores three river in particular: Los Cedros, the River of the Cedars, in Ecuador, the Kosasthalaiyar, Cooum, and Adyar, three rivers that merge in Chennai, India, and the Mutehekau Shipu in the north of Quebec.

Few authors write with such determination about our collective responsibility to the environment, but to traipse through the very different issues faced by the ecosystems could be repetitive and preachy. Instead he spends his time with the committed local people he meets in each of the three places, and learns from them by undertaking a journey associated with the river. It is this that make the book stand-out, as well as his poetic language and lyricism.

It’s MacFarlane at his best, and one of the highlights of the literary year.
It also begs the question, could MacFarlane find another endangered three rivers, journey there and explore the issues that they face, by way of a second volume?

My GoodReads score 5 / 5