West with the Night flies into reader’s hearts

     Another day, another summer reading assignment. However, the memoir West with the Night, written by Beryl Markham, surprises students with tons of adventure, life, and triumph.

     In this novel, Markham highlights the times and trials of her life in Africa in the first half of the 20th century. The determined pilot describes her adventurous and free spirited childhood in present day Kenya up through her attempt at crossing the Atlantic when she was in her 20’s.

     Interestingly enough, in her memoir Markham omits information about her romantic and social life. Accordingly, she is portrayed as an independent and focused woman who enjoys adventure and has little interest in relationships.

     However, contrary to this depiction, Markham was actually married 3 times and had various love affairs with men she met in her travels. One of these men included Tom Black, an important person in the memoir who Markham described as worldly and respectable as an aviator, but did not suggest to be a lover.
There are many claims that Markham was not the sole writer of her memoir. Many believe that her third husband, journalist Raoul Schumacher, contributed greatly to West with the Night. However, Mary Lovell, who wrote a biography on Markham’s life and extensively interviewed Markham before her death, believes that although Schumacher did edit the manuscript, the important inspiration behind her elegant language and storytelling was one of her lovers, French poet, writer, and aviator Antoine de Saint Exupéry.

     12th grade AP English students read this memoir as a summer assignment this year.

     “I think, and this is only what I think, that these controversies were initiated because many, many men who were adventurous hunters, horse racers, pilots, and even writers were jealous,” said AP English 12 teacher, Ms. Linda Duncan.

     Many films and television specials were made on Markham’s crazy life, including the 1988 film, Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun which was based on her memoir, West with the Night.

     Markham’s greatest flying accomplishment was being the first woman to fly across the Atlantic from England to Canada.