Wordfest presents Robert Macfarlane

This is the show Wordfest has been eagerly anticipating all year. Audiences are invited to an exclusive opportunity to see British writer, naturalist, and Nobel Prize contender Robert Macfarlane live in Calgary, as part of his North American tour celebrating Is a River Alive?. More than just Macfarlane’s latest literary achievement, the book is a rallying cry and a catalyst for change—one that promises to open hearts, spark debate, and challenge perspectives. A clarion call to re-centre rivers in our stories, laws, and politics, it urges readers to radically reimagine not only rivers but life itself. At the core of this vital and beautifully written book lies the understanding that humanity’s fate has always been intertwined with that of rivers. Few know this better than Albertans. Fittingly, Canadian writer and naturalist Kevin Van Tighem will host the conversation, which will be followed by an audience Q&A and a book signing presented in partnership with Shelf Life Books.