West with the Night by Beryl MarkhamMemoir, Paperback
294 Pages
5 out of 5 stars
My previous post was about a historical novel about adventurer, aviatrix, Beryl Markham. This post is about her memoir.
Beryl Markham's lyrically beautiful memoir, WEST WITH THE
NIGHT, speaks so movingly of the wonder that was and I suppose still is in many
ways, Africa, that it would be unjust not to be humbled. Markham was an English born adventurer; a
woman ahead of her time; an acclaimed
horse trainer, and the first person, man or woman to fly solo from West
to East. Born at the beginning of the 20th
century, Beryl was formed as much by her circumstances as by her
surroundings. Abandoned by her mother, she was raised by her
unconventional horse-training father in modern day Kenya. Her father's love of horses was passed on to
her, leading her to be the first woman in Africa to receive her horse training
license. A non-conformist by nature, Beryl engaged where others were tentative. She didn't shy
from the unknown; she thrilled in
it. If a memoir is to be worth its
weight, the person writing it must have
a life worth telling. This indeed was
the case with Beryl Markham. It seemed
she was one of those unique individuals who was able to master whatever she set
out to achieve...first with horses, then with planes, and finally, with
writing. It was Ernest Hemingway who openly
and famously expressed admiration and envy for her writing style.
WEST WITH THE NIGHT is in many ways a commentary not only on Africa, but on
life. It seems the spiritual ties Markham
felt to the land of Africa were very much seeped into her being. This certainly came through in the style of
her prose. Her passages were often
deeply moving and thoughtful, while at other times, shaped by sharp wit and
humor. I found myself rereading certain
phrases repeatedly because of their profound nature. When a book can move you to that level, it's
something worth recommending. For me, only Alan Paton's CRY, THE BELOVED
COUNTRY speaks as majestically to the soul, bringing Africa alive with such passionate
intensity that it would be impossible not to be moved. There are very few books that I give 5 stars
ratings. Beryl Markham's WEST WITH THE
NIGHT is certainly deserving of that and much worse. Her friend Isak Dinesen's memoir OUT OF
AFRICA may have achielved more notoriety, but of the two, I much prefer
Markham's. The depth of her connection
to and understanding of Africa is unparalleled.
In many ways, Beryl and Dinesen were both trailblazing women, but it's
Markham who, to me, had the greater grasp of depth and lyricism. WEST WITH THE NIGHT is a magnum opus of
spiritual beauty, wonder, and adventure.
To me, it's a MUST read.
