Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
West with the Night
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
Beryl Markhams classic, engrossing memoira triumph of the pioneer spirit and an adventure-charged chronicle of a life lived to the fullest Beryl Markhams life was a true epic, complete with shattered societal expectations, torrid love affairs, and desperate crash landings. A rebel from a young age, the British-born Markham was raised in Kenyas unforgiving farmlands. She learned to be 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 from east to west, a feat that fellow female aviator Amelia Earhart had completed in reverse just a few years before. Her successes and her failuresand her deep, lifelong love of the soul of Africaare all chronicled here with wrenching honesty and agile wit. The basis for Paula McLains bestselling novel Circling the Sun, West with the Night is one of the greatest adventure books of all time (National Geographic).
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
Kristelh
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick
review
K.Wielechowski
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick

Raised by a single father in Kenya in the early days of the 20th century, Beryl was not one to be tamed or cowed. This memoir covers her life from early childhood, becoming a horse trainer, through the days after her legendary flight from London to Nova Scotia. Her descriptions were beautiful and the droll humor she used was fantastic.
Just remember, it was written in the 1940s, some descriptions of the African people would not fly today.

blurb
eeclayton
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

#manicmonday #letterW @CBee

📖 West with the Night
✍️ Dan Wells
🎞️ When Harry Met Sally 📺 The Wire
🎤 Walking Papers
🎵 Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N' Roses

review
Bookwormjillk
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick

This autobiography was fascinating! Beryl Markham was such an interesting woman. #FoodAndLit #ReadingAfrica2022 #Kenya #SuperSeptember book 3/6

Catsandbooks Fantastic! 2y
Librarybelle I‘ve wanted to read this since reading Paula McLain‘s 2y
Andrew65 A remarkable story. Doing great 👏👏⭐️ (edited) 2y
68 likes2 stack adds3 comments
blurb
eeclayton
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

#Alphabetgame #LetterW @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Beryl Markham's fascinating memoir is my choice for W.

Honourable mentions:
Wildlife by Richard Ford
Writing Away by Lavinia Spalding

AnnR Agreed, this is a really good memoir. 🙂 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing 🙌🏻📚 2y
eeclayton @Ann_Reads It was a great read 😊 2y
19 likes3 comments
blurb
Blueberry
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect 📚✈️ 3y
eeclayton I loved this book 😊 3y
Eggs 👏🏻✈️📚❤️ 3y
57 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
Dolly
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

One of my all time favorite books (autobiography) by a fabulously talented woman. Early Bird Books has this offered today! If you haven‘t read this you‘re missing out. Fascinating woman!

blurb
eeclayton
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

#thoughtfulthursday @MoonWitch94

Mostly indoors. I have a balcony, but in spring it's rather chilly.

I'm doing #bookspin and #thatsclassic 😎

Thanks for the tag @The_Penniless_Author ☺️

MoonWitch94 Thanks for playing 💐📚🐣😊 4y
15 likes1 comment
review
IhoardBOOKS
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick

Fascinating story of a woman making her own way in the world, especially in a time where that wouldn't have been so easy. From growing up in Africa, to racing horses, to flying the skies Beryl Markham certainly lived a life.

blurb
eeclayton
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

(1) Not much. Probably a quiet dinner with hubby, but we do that each evening anyway.
(2) Honest, loyal, conscientious.
(3) West with the Night by Beryl Markham, it was an amazing read! 🛩️🌌

Thanks for the tag @EadieB ❤️
Would you like to play @bthegood @451Degrees ?

Eggs Thanks for playing 🥰 Book is stacked - #blameitonlitsy 🤣 4y
eeclayton @Eggs I hope you'll like it as much as I did ☺️ 4y
12 likes2 comments
review
eeclayton
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick

What an amazing book.
In West with the Night, Beryl Markham focuses on her challenges and achievements. From her childhood in Africa, through her career as a racehorse trainer, her first flying lessons to her incredible solo flight across the Atlantic, she recounts several stories that illustrate her remarkable life. And how well she does this!

This was my January #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
EadieB @eeclayton I read and enjoyed this one too. I also read this one which was very good: 4y
See All 6 Comments
eeclayton @EadieB Thanks for the recommendation Eadie, I'll check it out! 4y
eeclayton @EadieB and my TBR keeps growing 😁 4y
21 likes6 comments
quote
eeclayton
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

I'm enjoying this book a lot, but this passage about how her father's farm was first created makes me uneasy, after having recently watched David Attenborough's eye-opening Netflix series 🥺

quote
TheEllieMo
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Velvetfur I love Beryl! 💜 5y
TheEllieMo @Velvetfur I confess that, despite being an AvGeek and a pilot-under-training, I had not heard of her until today! 5y
Velvetfur @TheEllieMo I understand, as not many people have heard of her for any reason really! Which is a shame because she was great 😁 5y
31 likes3 comments
blurb
Centique
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

#bookreport @Cinfhen

An update from #hiselderliness. He finished West with the Night and was trying to lend my library copy to his next door neighbour so you know he liked it a lot! Currently reading The Road to Jonestown which he was loving but he seems to have got to a boring bit - we all know that feeling. And some extraneous pictures of his cats. Diabolical fluffballs. 😸😸

Sace Beautiful kitties! 5y
Cinfhen Your dad is hilarious 😂 I bailed on Jonestown when I got to the boring bits 🙈 5y
Centique @Cinfhen that‘s so funny that you both had the same reaction! 😂 5y
See All 7 Comments
Cinfhen At that point with still 200 + pages left I felt like I could read a Wikipedia page and get the rest of the story 😂😂😂 5y
Centique @Cinfhen 😂 I‘ll let you know how he fares - and I‘ll tell him he has permission to bail! 5y
readordierachel That top center photo! 😆 5y
Centique @readordierachel she‘s a poser, that one! 😝The other one is very shy. 😻 5y
71 likes7 comments
blurb
Centique
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

#weeklyforecast #oldmanedition

This week‘s library haul for the elderly father. He thinks he has already read Sailing Alone Around the World though, so I may be starting to repeat books! Dragonfly is about a crisis on the MIR space station - he‘s excited to read that one. Plus the classic Beryl Markham memoir and a travel book by a palaeontologist. 🤞🤞

TrishB Good ones 👍🏻 5y
Velvetfur I love the Beryl one so much! All the others sound really good too, hope Daddy enjoys them 😁 5y
Cinfhen The elder is keeping you on your toes!!!! We might need to get him a kindle 😁 5y
60 likes3 comments
blurb
Dolly
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

One of my favorite books of all time on sale today from Early Bird Books! Brilliant woman, brilliant writer.

blurb
catebutler
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

I love a good memoir, especially if it is full of adventure & about women with gumption. I‘ve been absorbed in this book & Beryl‘s life as an aviatrix, horse trainer & elephant scout during the early 20th century in Kenya. The introduction mentioned this memoir is madly selective & slightly embellished, but like any great story or storyteller, sometimes the telling is what makes it extra special & Beryl definitely has a way with words & emotions.

TheAromaofBooks I wish I had something cool like “elephant scout“ on my resume! 5y
catebutler @TheAromaofBooks Me too! Seriously, this woman led an amazing life! I‘ve always loved the idea of living or visiting during the turn of the early 20th century. So many adventures, especially in archaeology and travel! 🦴🧳🧭 5y
Freespirit Another lovely post Cate 😍 5y
catebutler @Freespirit Thank you!! 🥰 5y
57 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
Lcsmcat
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

On my TBR since reading Circling the Sun, this is the first book I thought of for #airplane. #letsTravelJuly @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 👌🏻😊✈️ 5y
54 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
ph9k
West with the Night | Beryl Markham

Pumped for my safari next week! My literary inspiration shall be the (admittedly flawed, colonial, etc) Beryl Markham.
(and also I'm doing testing for Tim)

review
TrishB
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick

@Velvetfur - as always I‘m a rubbish buddy read as I‘ve just sat in the couch since I got home and finished 😁
A fascinating tale by a fascinating woman, told in exactly her own style.
I think the fictionalised version in Circling the Sun adds a lot more to her personal life that she doesn‘t go into here.
I like that she doesn‘t define herself by her relationships or offspring, but it would have been nice to have some thoughts from her.

TrishB Look forward to your thoughts on the story version!! 💜 6y
Velvetfur Hey! How have you finished already?! I'm only half way through mine, hahaha! Probably doesn't help that I've had a few little naps too though 😂 I agree with you about how it would have been nice to get a bit more insight as it's known that she was divorced and had other affairs. Us public are so nosey 😜 6y
See All 12 Comments
Velvetfur @Susanita Y'know what, I saw that in a charity shop weeks ago, I kept umming and aahhing about it, it was still there every time I went back, then when I thought I should just buy it, it was gone!! I'll get it one day 😁 6y
TrishB @Velvetfur 1 1/2 hours bus journeys! 1 or so at home! I do read quickly 😁 @Susanita thanks 👍🏻 6y
Velvetfur @TrishB OK Ill let you off then, hehehe 😊 I'm glad you enjoyed the book! 6y
Susanita @Velvetfur I do that all the time with potential Christmas gifts. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 6y
Tanisha_A Hi miss Speedread! 😀 6y
TrishB @Tanisha_A 😁 hi 👋 6y
Cathythoughts Nice one @Tanisha_A 👍🏻😂 ... miss Speedread could stick Trish ! 6y
TrishB @Cathythoughts I‘ve definitely been called worse 😘 6y
112 likes2 stack adds12 comments
blurb
TrishB
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

Some bus reading on the way to lunch with my sisters. For my #buddyread with @Velvetfur

Velvetfur 💜 6y
105 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
fictionaltiff
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick

Beryl Markham is someone who has such an insanely interesting life that she HAD to write a book about it, and I‘m so glad she did. If you‘re searching for a book on someone who broke all stereotypes of women in the 1930s, look no further. And West with the Night is a book recommended by Hemingway himself — yep, that was enough for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
She was the first person to fly the Atlantic from east to west, and this is her autobiography.

monalyisha WHAT is this picture? 🤯 This plant life is so cool! I want to be there! 6y
1 like1 comment
blurb
TrishB
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

Thank you Vikki 😘 arrived today. Hoping to get to the PO on Saturday to send mine. Will look forward to this ❤️

Velvetfur Wow, that's taken its time to get to you, but I'm glad you've finally got it! I know you'll love it 😊 6y
83 likes1 comment
blurb
Hooked_on_books
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

I know Circling the Sun is a well liked book on Litsy, so I wanted to alert everyone interested to a deal on the ebook of Beryl Markham‘s autobiography! It appears to be priced this way across platforms.

I‘m looking at you, #botmbuddyread ers: @MrsV @TheBookHippie @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @AmyG @CoffeeNBooks @kspenmoll @Andrew65 @RebelReader @Rachbb3 @janeycanuck @Soozee

TheBookHippie I read it so wonderful!!!!! Pick it up folks!!! Worth it! 6y
AmyG Thanks! 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you!!! 6y
See All 11 Comments
Andrew65 This is definitely one I need to get to. Thanks for this information. 👍 (edited) 6y
BookNAround I read this with my book club two years ago and I was a little worried about it but it was a wonderful surprise. Engaging and completely engrossing. 6y
Rachbb3 Got it! 😀 Thanks for heads up. 6y
TheSpineView It has been on my TBR list for several years. 6y
janeycanuck Sad... not on sale in Canada. 6y
Hooked_on_books @janeycanuck Oh man! The Canadian ebook outlets need to get it together! 6y
Soozee Hmm, not so cheap in UK - Qc.99. 6y
35 likes1 stack add11 comments
review
EadieB
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick

After reading Circling the Sun, I decided to read another book about Beryl Markham‘s life. She set records and broke barriers as a pilot. She had many torrid love affairs and survived desperate crash landings. In 1936 she flew solo across the Atlantic. I found this audio to be a great adventure read about a woman who is a true epic! Not a book to be missed!

#westwiththenight #berylmarkham

CoffeeNBooks I'm currently reading Circling the Sun- I'll have to check this out when I'm done! 6y
Crinoline_Laphroaig I'm always on the lookout for stories of strong rule breaking women. 6y
See All 7 Comments
EadieB @Crinoline_Laphroaig I‘ll have to get my autobiography written. My favorite quote is: Well-behaved women seldom make history. 6y
Andrew65 Sounds great! 6y
EadieB @Andrew65 I enjoyed it very much! 6y
82 likes7 comments
blurb
EadieB
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

Loved Circling the Sun which was written by Paula McLain so much that I have downloaded this audio written by Beryl Markman herself about her life. Looking forward to hearing her own story!

#westwiththenight #berylmarkman

DivineDiana I purchased this after reading Circling the Sun too! Unfortunately, still on the #TBR! 😉 6y
EadieB @Susanita Yes I saw that. I will probably read that one too! Very fascinating woman! 6y
See All 6 Comments
EadieB @DivineDiana My library has the audio. I seem to get to the audios faster than the physical books because I can listen and do other things. 6y
DivineDiana Yes, I love audios for that very reason! Enjoy! 6y
Amie I really liked this audiobook - one of my all-time favorites. Hope you enjoy it too! 6y
98 likes2 stack adds6 comments
review
Rebesta
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick

Markham weaves an evocative tale of growing up in Africa and learning to fly using beautiful prose. I couldn‘t put it down. I wanted to fly with her forever.

review
Ms.Nic
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Pickpick

"And still it was gone. Seeing it again could not be living it again. You can always rediscover an old path and wander over it, but the best yo an do then is say, 'Ah, yes, know this turning!' --or remind yourself that, while you remember that unforgettable valley, the valley no longer remembers you."

A book of beautifully captured memories without any unnecessary emotional toil or excess. Of all the snippets this to me rang true.

blurb
DebinHawaii
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

#ReadingResolutions #west

Six books from my stacks with some form of 'west' in the title. The two on the left side I've read, the other four are still #TBR. I don't own the Ruth Ware and I hope I don't have to wait too long for my library hold--I'm sure there will be a pile-up.

Herschelian Surprised to realise that I‘ve read all but one of these , must get a copy of the Mrs. Westaway to match you!! All good reads - all very different. (edited) 7y
93 likes1 comment
blurb
Oblomov26
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

Today‘s daily deal on audible - I read this one so cannot comment on narration, but the book itself was great and well worth this price.

review
Nitpickyabouttrains
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image
Mehso-so

This was non-fiction about a woman in Africa who was a pilot, horse trainer, and so much more. It seemed very much of its time (early 1900s). The stuff about the flying was super interesting and I loved when she interacted with the politics of the time. But there were some large sections about hunting which turned me off, same with details on raising horses.

blurb
Dolly
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

Ohhh! Ohhh! Oh! Do you want to have what I‘m having??? Look what‘s on sale today! Possibly one of my top 25 books lifetime, I recommend this book so much. Beryl is an amazing woman who isn‘t afraid to follow her dreams. I love her!

quote
LunaSaintClaire
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

“There are all kinds of silences and each of them means a different thing. There is the silence that comes with morning in a forest, and this is different from the silence of a sleeping city. There is silence after a rainstorm, and before a rainstorm, and these are not the same. There is the silence of emptiness, the silence of fear, the silence of doubt. ...Whatever the mood ... It is a soundless echo.” West with the Night – Beryl Markham

10 likes1 stack add
blurb
DivineDiana
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

On the corner behind the main Philadelphia Free Library is a used book store that I had wanted to visit. Still had 20 minutes on the meter after I left the Tina Brown talk, so I ran in to take a look! Found this which has been on my TBR, since reading “Circling the Sun”. Hemingway knew her and wrote to Maxwell Perkins raving about the excellent writing.

Dolly I loved this one! Her writing is wonderful. I also started with Circling the Sun. 7y
Thousand-Lives I also read this after loving Circling the Sun! It was fantastic - so beautifully written. She does choose to keep readers almost at a distance, as she doesn‘t include many personal details of her life and relationships. 7y
DivineDiana @Dolly @Thousand-Lives I am happy to have your endorsements! Looking forward to reading this, although personal details would have been appreciated! 😉 7y
Amie This is a great book! I keep meaning to read it a second time but haven't yet. 7y
DivineDiana @amie You and Hemingway agree! Must read soon! 7y
59 likes2 stack adds5 comments
quote
ph9k
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

A ship is safe in port but that's not what ships are for.

blurb
Mamashep
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

I'd had West With The Night on my TBR for a long time when I read Circling The Sun, the novel about Markham's life. Of course, once I'd read that, I had to read what Markham had to say for herself. #fallintobooks #bookpairings Day 6

blurb
Macnjen
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

Reading now for Party book club but it's not grabbing me. I'm disappointed that I'm not more invested in this. I'll finish but for me, it's slow going.

review
BethW
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
Pickpick

I have read this book repeatedly throughout my life and, like Anna Karenina, I look up at the end and can't believe they've all left the room. Beryl Markham lived a life as a free woman in Africa. A handful of women have lived as she did and most men are too afraid. Two of her lovers were Denys-Fitch Hatton of Out of Africa fame and St Exupey, the pilot and writer. (I remember reading a description of one of their ecstatic flights over Kenya.)

RaimeyGallant Welcome to Litsy! 7y
2 likes1 comment
blurb
Macnjen
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

My next read.

minkyb I look forward to getting around to this. Enjoy. 7y
17 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Amie
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

Day 27 #readingwomenmonth #memoir
Beryl Markham's story is fascinating and the writing in this memoir is amazing. Beryl grew up in Kenya, trained race horses, and became a pilot. She was the first woman to fly solo west across the Atlantic. She was involved in a love triangle with the couple from Out of Africa. She is the subject of the novel Circling the Sun by Paula McClain.

@thereadingwomen

35 likes1 stack add
blurb
Dolly
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

My favorite book of last year was written by Beryl Markham of Out of Africa fame. Her role in the movie was overshadowed by the main character played by Meryl Streep but Beryl was the more interesting woman. Normally I wouldn't pick up a book about a bush pilot in Africa but because I loved the movie I did. I'm so glad! Beryl's writing is superb and was praised by Hemingway. If you like books about strong independent women...#thisistheend

Dolly @Luv2readbookz Yes! I liked that one too. I actually got the two mixed up and had to refresh myself on content. 8y
Luv2readbookz @Dolly 😄👏🏻 8y
Bookrarian I read this book in high school & loved it. Had almost forgotten it though. This brought back good memories! 8y
53 likes3 stack adds5 comments
blurb
Jas16
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
post image

Beryl Markham is my kind of #historicalheroine. She was the first licensed female horse trainer in Kenya and was one of the very first solo pilots to fly across the Atlantic, nonstop, against headwinds. #feistyfeb

Blueberry I read this along with Circling the Sun which told a whole different side of her. 8y
35 likes1 comment