West with the Night: A Memoir [B1969]

1983 PB reprint of the 1942 original, with clean text pages and minor cover wear. Considered a classic of outdoor literature and ranked #8 by National Geographic Adventure in 2008 on its list of the 100 best adventure books, West with the Night is a memoir by British-born author, aviator, and equestrian, Beryl Markham. Friend and fellow author Ernest Hemingway once wrote to his editor Maxwell Perkins asking: "Did you read Beryl Markham's book, West with the Night? ... bloody wonderful work." Markham was one of, if not the first, female bush pilots in Africa, and her memoir details adventures in Kenya with a unique perspective both from the ground and the sky. Markham was born in the county of Rutland in Midlands, England, to Charles and Clara Clutterbuck in October of 1902. Two years later, her father took a chance and moved their family to untouched bush in the Rift Valley, one hundred miles from Nairobi, to farm and train horses. Her mother, Clara, found the hard work insufferable and abandoned her family to return to England. Markham's father was left to care for her, and she quickly became the proverbial 'wild-child.' She learned how to ride a horse before she walked, her first language was Swahili, and she spear hunted with her best friend Kibii; the African bush became her playground. Markham was the first woman in East Africa to be granted a commercial pilot's license, piloting passengers and supplies to remote corners of Africa. She became the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic from east to west. The memoir chronicles her experiences growing up in Kenya (then British East Africa) in the early 1900s, and her stellar careers as racehorse trainer and bush pilot.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "One of my very favorite books. I only wish I had found it years ago. What an inspiration it would have been to read it as a young girl. Beryl is a badass. I wish I could have met her in person while she was alive. I loved how the animals, and her planes were characters in her book along with the rest of the characters."; "Beautifully written and entertaining."; "Oh my goodness. Finishing it leaves you wanting more. But sadly, there is none. She is an outstanding author. The book is beautifully written. Her wit is engaging. I laughed out loud on a few occasions, which is out of character for me. Prose at its finest. Enjoy."