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Hailed as “one of the greatest adventure books of all time” by Newsweek and “the sort of book that makes you think human beings can do anything” by the New York Times, West with the Night remains a powerful testament to one of the iconic lives of the 20th century.
Beryl Markham’s life story is a true epic. Not only did she set records and break barriers as a pilot, she shattered societal expectations, threw herself into torrid love affairs, survived desperate crash landings—and chronicled everything. A contemporary of Karen Blixen (better known as Isak Dinesen, the author of Out of Africa), Markham left an enduring memoir that soars with astounding candor and shimmering insights.
A rebel from a young age, the British-born Markham was raised in Kenya’s unforgiving farmlands. She trained as a bush pilot at a time when most Africans had never seen a plane. In 1936, she accepted the ultimate challenge: to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean from east to west, a feat that fellow female aviator Amelia Earhart had completed in reverse just a few years before. Markham’s successes and her failures—and her deep, lifelong love of the “soul of Africa”—are all told here with wrenching honesty and agile wit.
Janet Dore –
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/4
I actually added this book to my reading list on three separate occasions…first more than 20 years ago when I started paying attention to strong women, again when I flipped through the pages of 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die, and a third time last January after I finishing (and LOVING) the fictionalized version of Beryl’s life (Circling the Sun by Paula McClain).
I had two expectations about this book: 1) I thought it would be mostly about Beryl’s transatlantic solo flight (only the very end covered this incredible feat…and definitely in short) and 2) I thought I would love it (I much preferred Paula McClain’s story).
While Beryl was an excellent writer in terms of language, for me, too much of the book was focused on Africa and she skimmed over the relationships in her life. This is the biggest reason it didn’t get a higher rating from me. (My guess is that’s exactly why Paula McClain was inspired to write her version.)
Beryl’s love of Africa is infectious, so I would highly recommend that anyone going to East Africa read this book on the plane ride over. Although it’s doubtful I’ll ever get there, Beryl definitely made me question this decision. If I could time travel back to the 1920s-1930s, my choice would very likely be a different one!