I agree with your ranking of Rob Macfarlane's books, I also was a bit disappointed with Is a River Alive, though it has some great moments. Have you read Landmarks?
I read about half of it and got bored 😬 a dictionary makes for dull reading. I should probably pick it back up but anyway, no, I haven’t finished it so can’t include in my rankings. Shame about this latest. I felt like the South American section was good and the Canada section had moments of brilliance. On the whole though, I feel like he went off the deep end a bit on over-lyricising and spiritualising absolutely everything, at the expense of a coherent, engaging narrative…. The India section I found very weak, almost like he was bored and tired there and just not that into it because, let’s face it, dead polluted rivers are dispiriting. I don’t know. What do you think? And feel free to tell me I’m wrong about Landmarks and should try it again… (also: have you read Nan Shepherd’s The Living Mountain? Stunning.) x
yeah, I agree that the India section was weakest, the highlight was the character profile of his prodigy conservationist friend whose name I've forgotten, and even that was a bit overdone. My main issue was the heavyhandedness of the environmental messaging and the lack of depth in the rights of nature stuff, it seemed like a one-sided overview more than anything else. Underland was way more effective at just taking you to the landscapes and leaving you with the environmental resonances of their images--show don't tell and all that.
Landmarks was the first Macfarlane book I read so it made a big impression on me (in fact it was a big catalyst in starting my first place-writing blog) and still ranks high for me--not all of it is a dictionary haha, you can always skip those parts. I liked that it introduced me to other writers, yes including Nan Shepherd and I agree Living Mountain is stunning! I think Landmarks is a lot more "English professor" than his others and more like an essay collection, but I liked the literary analysis/history and landscape memoir blend.
Not least because I live by a river too, and I just spent a day trimming the bush along our river bank. I don't have enough hair for all those aphids though...
Anyway - Happy Birthday!
Best Wishes from the banks of the Clarence River - Dave :)
I agree with your ranking of Rob Macfarlane's books, I also was a bit disappointed with Is a River Alive, though it has some great moments. Have you read Landmarks?
I read about half of it and got bored 😬 a dictionary makes for dull reading. I should probably pick it back up but anyway, no, I haven’t finished it so can’t include in my rankings. Shame about this latest. I felt like the South American section was good and the Canada section had moments of brilliance. On the whole though, I feel like he went off the deep end a bit on over-lyricising and spiritualising absolutely everything, at the expense of a coherent, engaging narrative…. The India section I found very weak, almost like he was bored and tired there and just not that into it because, let’s face it, dead polluted rivers are dispiriting. I don’t know. What do you think? And feel free to tell me I’m wrong about Landmarks and should try it again… (also: have you read Nan Shepherd’s The Living Mountain? Stunning.) x
I still haven't read The Wild Places but it's on my shelf
It’s really *really* great. So is Mountains of the Mind. Both so worth it ❤️
yeah, I agree that the India section was weakest, the highlight was the character profile of his prodigy conservationist friend whose name I've forgotten, and even that was a bit overdone. My main issue was the heavyhandedness of the environmental messaging and the lack of depth in the rights of nature stuff, it seemed like a one-sided overview more than anything else. Underland was way more effective at just taking you to the landscapes and leaving you with the environmental resonances of their images--show don't tell and all that.
Agree w all of this 💯💯💯 he needed a more robust editor. Whoever edited this was afraid to tighten him up and slam him down 😂
This is far too often the case in general 🫤
Landmarks was the first Macfarlane book I read so it made a big impression on me (in fact it was a big catalyst in starting my first place-writing blog) and still ranks high for me--not all of it is a dictionary haha, you can always skip those parts. I liked that it introduced me to other writers, yes including Nan Shepherd and I agree Living Mountain is stunning! I think Landmarks is a lot more "English professor" than his others and more like an essay collection, but I liked the literary analysis/history and landscape memoir blend.
Although Old Ways also has a good amount of literary history if I recall? But it's a more straightforward travel narrative.
Happy belated birthday, Gemini twin and aphid queen!!
And to you Julia ❤️💯
Well, I did like it!
Not least because I live by a river too, and I just spent a day trimming the bush along our river bank. I don't have enough hair for all those aphids though...
Anyway - Happy Birthday!
Best Wishes from the banks of the Clarence River - Dave :)
Thank you Dave! Is that the Clarence river in Aus? Wishing you a day full of aphids 🙏❤️
Hi Jill
Yes - East Coast. The Northern Rivers coast on NSW. We live on a large island in the river. Here is my description of it - with photos:
https://davidkirkby.substack.com/p/woodford-island
Or the much briefer: https://davidkirkby.substack.com/p/3-am
Don't see aphids here, lol. Plenty of birds, water dragon lizards, green tree frogs..
Best Wishes - Dave :)
So beautiful. And now I’ve gone down a rabbit hole googling water dragon lizards… what a name!
I was obliged by law to show up and, once again, wish you a happy birthday, Jill!
We understand each other 🤝 thank you ☺️☺️
Happy Birthday! Many more.
Thanks John ☺️❤️
Happy birthday, and many happy returns of the day! Missed you
Ah thank you Margaret! 😍