Robert MacFarlane and London Book Adventures

Robert MacFarlane stood up and the room went silent. Booksellers from across the UK had gathered to hear about his new book: 'Is a River Alive?' Penguin were hosting us in London. The Thames glimmered beyond the windows in the dark February winter. Listening to Robert speak was a privilege. He's an author who was central to the creation of Sherlock & Pages. In particular, it was his book 'The Old Ways' which unlocked something in my imagination. For so long I'd trudged across the landscapes of England, from parish to parish, church to church. The Old Ways brought the magic of this to life. It helped me recognise the atavistic wonder of ancient pilgrim routes and drove roads and signposted to a whole literature of observation, conservation, and awe which now form the central offer in our book curation. 

Robert acknowledged this power - the power of books - as he thanks all those who'd helped him along the way as an author. We have the potential to electrify one another through the written word. It's our job as booksellers to help transmit that electricity. That's why we've always believed bookselling can't be a neutral act, a passive algorithm based activity. It must be undertaken with deep engagement and care. Stories are amongst the most precious commodities in the world and it is our honour to sell them.

'Is a River Alive?' will be published on May 1st 2025 and is available to pre-order now. It will be the authors most political work to date. There was palpable emotion in the room as we heard Robert talk of t he deep past of our rivers, the etymological origins of our water words, and the great die off of rivers around the world - in particular here at home, on this island in the North Sea.

Yet there was hope too. We heard about the the largest dam removal project in U.S. history along the Klamath River Basin across California and Oregon. Remarkably, astonishingly, within a short period of time Salmon were spotted in areas of the river network they hadn't been seen in for a century. Ancient instinct had recalled them. Rivers can heal.

I will write and record a full review of the book before long. All l say is that whilst reading the first half of the book - advance copies being one of the best benefits of bookselling - I've been grasping the air at times shouting a silent 'yes!' as I've read words that resonate so deeply. Words that open up worlds and minds. This isn't just enjoyable. Yes, there are compelling characters to pull us through the narrative. But more than this it is a book that will live on - electrifying discussions on the 'Rights of Nature.' 

Next morning I visited the London HQ of one of the big publishers Penguin Random House, right opposite the U.S. Embassy. How funny it is to connect our little room of words at Sherlock & Pages to this vast shining temple of literature. A small group of assembled booksellers were able to meet the people who help bring the books into the world: the commissioning editors, marketing teams, regional reps and more. It was fantastic to be able to get my hands on advanced copies and let the team at Penguin know what we were all about. A big thank you to all involved. 

I couldn't leave London without also paying a visit to one of my all-time favourite Independent Bookshops: John Sandoe in West London. This is everything a bookshop should be. This is the proper stuff. A charming black painted façade and white lettering: "John Sandoe Books Ltd.". The floors are connected by creaking staircases so narrow handles are provided for intrepid booksniffers to haul themselves around particularly tricky twists and turns. The oriental carpets are threadbare and beautiful. The books are piled like thick meats - big slabs of literature for the discerning to rifle through. The shelving system is a work of minor genius. Disorder brings order. The vibes are impeccable. The scent of the shop is to live for. I adore that citadel of light on its quiet Chelsea corner. 

A sincere thank you also goes to Marzena at John Sandoe who kindly dug out a copy of 'The Sandoe Bag: A Miscellany to Celebrate 50 years,' which I can't wait to digest. 

Finally, I savoured a few of my favourite London historic churches before Paddington and the train home. Back to the West Country. My heart and imagination full, electrified by another chapter of 'Is a River Alive?'.