West with the Night

When I went to purchase Circling the Sun (this month’s book club selection) for my Kindle, I read numerous reviews. Many of them were unfavorable (for example, Alexandra Fuller in the  New York Times) and a couple of them mentioned West with the Night – Beryl Markham’s memoir.

I read that Ernest Hemingway said the following about her memoir: “This girl, who is to my knowledge very unpleasant and we might even say a high-grade bitch, can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers.” I wonder what a “high-grade bitch” in the 1940s amounted to. Independent? Entreprenuerial? Divorced? Sexually active?

Anyway, I opted to read her memoir instead of our chosen book.

The memoir was published in 1942. In it she talks about her adventures and experiences, but not any of her romances. From her descriptions of the men in the book, you might guess at them. The attitude of the times (mid 1930s) is also evident. For example, she helped scout male elephants for safaris. Of course, those elephants would be killed for their ivory. What really came through for me, though, was the loving descriptions of Kenya, horses, and flying.

So, let me get this straight. She could train horses, fly planes, and write beautifully. Apparently that last bit is in question. I read on Wikipedia (so it has to be true) that it was rumored her third husband actually wrote it. Another version suggests that she wrote it, but her third husband edited the manuscript.

In any event, the writing is a joy to read. I highly recommend it.