Beryl Markham (1902–1986)

Beryl Markham approaches the story of her remarkable life with the mindset of a literary novelist and the result, West with the Night, possesses all the advantages and drawbacks of such a strategy. The book is often lacking as autobiography – it omits or undersells a great many important events and relationships in Markham's life, and its non-linear, anecdotal approach allows for little appreciation of the chronological arc of her life. A novelist, in comparison to a memoirist or diarist, show more is more reticent about being part of the story. They put themselves into the writing, of course – it cannot be helped – but they leave much unrevealed about their character. A memoirist, in contrast, is meant to deliver their whole personal character on the page; Markham, whether consciously or not, chooses the approach of the novelist.

It has mixed results, but largely positive ones. The narrative can be disorientingly vague at times and, like many a first-time writer, Markham tries some things which don't come off. For the most part her writing is pleasingly clean and understated, but some lines which are meant to sound regal instead sound inflated. That said, such lines are relatively few, and for the most part Markham delivers exemplary prose. Ernest Hemingway praised the book, saying its author could 'write rings around all of us', and Markham certainly possesses keen powers of observation, writing particularly vividly about animals, aviation and Africa. You can be reading the book through at times, only to suddenly realise that she's just told you a really immersive story in an understated way. More than any autobiographical achievements – and Markham certainly led an impressive life – it is these immaculate examples of anecdotal writing which I will remember most about West with the Night. show less

Dit is een overweldigend mooi boek, al krijg ik niet goed op een rijtje waarom ik het zo goed vind. Hoewel Markhams belevenissen avontuurlijk zijn, is het aspect ‘avontuur’ zeker niet doorslaggevend voor mijn appreciatie. Het boek is prachtig geschreven en de opbouw van het verhaal is vlekkeloos, maar ook dat is niet bepalend. Misschien is het toch in de eerste plaats de open blik waarmee de auteur naar alles en iedereen kijkt die je zo voor haar inneemt. Het boek speelt grotendeels in show more Brits Oost-Afrika, het huidige Kenia, in de eerste decennia van de twintigste eeuw, en – hoewel zij subtiel aangeeft hoe de Afrikaanse speelkameraad uit haar jeugd zijn sociale positie tegenover haar aanpast eens zij volwassen zijn (door haar anders aan te spreken) – toch is er op geen enkel moment ook maar iets te merken van koloniale superioriteit of neerbuigendheid. Het lijkt wel of Beryl Markham de eigenheid en de kracht van natuur, dier en mens niet alleen perfect aanvoelde maar er zich spontaan ook helemaal op instelde. Het is merkwaardig dat de auteur niets zegt over haar moeder, haar drie echtgenoten of haar zoon, maar dat stoort helemaal niet. Haar vader, die haar op vierjarige leeftijd als enig kind meenam naar Brits Oost-Afrika, komt wel voor in het boek. Ook hij neemt geen centrale plaats in. De weinige korte en zakelijke vader-dochter passages tonen echter op indrukwekkende wijze de onverbrekelijke band tussen hen beiden.

Met dank aan De Arbeiderspers voor deze nieuwe uitgave. show less

What a joy of a book! In "West with the Night," Beryl Markham tells the stories of her youth, culminating with her flight, referred to in the title, from England to North America.

Her stories are amazing. Markham grew up in Kenya in the early 1900s--she and her father relocated there when she was four. Her father was a farmer and mostly a thoroughbred horse breeder and trainer. She learned to hunt from the tribal leaders living near the family's farm when she was just a girl. At 17 after her show more father went bankrupt and decided to move to Peru, she chose to stay in Africa and make her own way, which she did by becoming a horse trainer like her father. Finally, she was drawn to become a pilot and taught to fly by a man who would become a famous British pilot, Tom Black.

I enjoyed Markham's writing and vivid descriptions of Africa and flying and of the people and animals that she was close to. There is a excerpt from a letter on the back cover of my book from Ernest Hemingway to his editor. He writes, "Did you read Beryl Markham's book, "West with the Night?" I knew her fairly well in Africa and never would have suspected that she could and would put pen to paper except to write in her flyer's log book. As it is, she has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer...I wish you would get it and read it because it is really a bloody wonderful book." High praise indeed! show less

This is the second time that I've read this book, and it's been one of my favorite books since I first read it about 25 years ago. Beryl is a very modern woman living in Africa in the 1920s, embracing a spirit of adventure, and rising to challenges. She opens the book by identifying it as a memoir and not an autobiography, and her writing draws the reader into the tapestry of her memory so that we can relive the adventures along with her. It's no wonder that Hemingway praised this book - show more there's a lot to admire in the writing and the woman who wrote it. show less