Rivers flow, twist, flood, and fade—and in Robert Macfarlane’s new book Is a River Alive?, they speak. This Field Notes Quarterly Edition echoes that lyrical inquiry with three memo books inspired by Macfarlane’s journeys and Stanley Donwood’s extraordinary cover art.

The set features two covers from the U.S. and U.K. hardcover editions, each intricately layered with matte, gloss, and reticulated U.V. varnishes. The third features Donwood’s original linocut, “Meander”—a visual echo of the river's journey from headwaters to delta. Embossed, textured, and tactile, these covers are as collectable as they are useful.

Inside: 48 pages of "Cloud Forest Gray" graph grid on Domtar Lynx paper, saddle-stitched with gloss-white staples. Not just notebooks—portable companions for your own epic (or everyday) adventures.

What we like about it

• Three Striking Covers: Featuring U.S. and U.K. hardcover artwork plus Donwood’s original linocut, all richly treated with varnishes and embossing

• Exceptional Materials: Printed on Sappi McCoy 100#C Silk stock with Domtar Lynx interior pages—both a joy to hold and behold

• Graph Grid Pages: “Cloud Forest Gray” pages with graph ruling, ideal for sketching, mapping, or journalling with precision

Details

• Size: 120 mm x 190 mm
• Pages: 48
• Sheets: 24
• Graph Grid: 4.7mm × 4.7mm
• Material: Mohawk Superfine Cover Stock