The River You Touch: Making a Life on Moving Water

In The River You Touch, Chris Dombrowski explores the concept of a meaningful, mindful, and sustainable inhabitance on Earth in the Anthropocene era. He listens to rivers and the land in his adopted home of Montana, assembling a life based on his income as a poet and fly-fishing guide. Around the young family, a community of friends seeks to cultivate a way of living in place that moves beyond the mythologized West of appropriation and extraction. Dombrowski illuminates the experience of fatherhood with intimacy and grace, learning that their youthful sense of wonder at the beauty and connectivity of the more-than-human world is wisdom essential for transformation.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 14 December 2023
Publisher: Milkweed Editions

We yearn to be embraced by an Earth that birthed us, one that embraces and rekindles our essence, its children, each of us, without exception, every one. The path ahead is arduous, and then we embark on our journey back home, a destination as enigmatic as it is profound.

When Chris Dombrowski emerged onto the literary scene with his debut novel, "Body of Water," the book received widespread acclaim, with Jim Harrison describing it as "a classic" and comparing the author's style to that of John McPhee. Dombrowski's second book, "The River You Touch," continues to explore themes that are both timely and profound. In the opening line, he poses a thought-provoking question: "What does a meaningful, mindful, and sustainable inhabitance on this small planet look like in the Anthropocene?"

To answer this fundamental question, Dombrowski begins by immersing himself in the landscapes of his adopted home of Montana, where he pays close attention to the rivers and the land they traverse. As transplants from the post-industrial Midwest, he and his partner, Mary, build a life that is precarious, relying heavily on Mary's income as a schoolteacher and Dombrowski's work as a poet and fly-fishing guide. Before long, their first child arrives, followed by two more, each a "free being in whom flourishes an essential kind of knowing […], whose capacity for wonder may be the beacon by which we see ourselves through this dark epoch."

Surrounded by a community of friends who share their passion for the natural world, Dombrowski and Mary strive to cultivate a way of living that goes beyond the mythologized West of appropriation and extraction. These friends include river-rafting guides, conservationists, climbers, and wildlife biologists who are dedicated to preserving and protecting the environment.

Dombrowski seamlessly transitions from the everyday details of life—such as diapers, mortgages, and a meager bank account—to the metaphysical realm of time, memory, and how to live a life of integrity. Through his intimate and graceful storytelling, he illuminates the experience of fatherhood with remarkable depth and insight. Spending time in wild places with his children, Dombrowski discovers that their youthfulness serves as a source of inspiration and wonder, reminding him of the beauty and fragility of the natural world.

"The River You Touch" is a testament to the power of connection, both with the natural world and with one another. It encourages readers to reevaluate their relationship with the environment and to embrace a more sustainable and mindful way of living. With its lyrical prose, profound questions, and inspiring examples, this book is a must-read for anyone who seeks to find meaning and purpose in the face of a rapidly changing world.

Weight: 428g
Dimension: 139 x 215 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781639550852