Beryl Markham (1902–1986)

This memoir of Beryl Markham's is a selective collection of memories that outline her life. Mostly adventures and incidents that give highlights, often condensing a life in horse training into a single race or working with a certain horse to represent all of the type of thing she experienced. The stories from her childhood, running with the boys and young men of the Nandi tribe that worked on her father's farm were some of the best. The stories are hair-raising. Fearless and independent, she was often out to prove herself in a man's world, getting her trainer's license at 18 and learning to fly in her early twenties. This book gives the impression of a loner, living life as she chose. It gives no indication of her loves, her marriages, or her son though they existed. Her relationship with her father was no close; neither seemed to know how to connect. A great read but left you wanting more.… (more)

Fascinating autobiographical account of the early life of Beryl Markham, nee Clutterbuck, growing up in Kenya during the period 1905-1935 - playing with the local children, training horses, and subsequently flying as a bush pilot and maid of all work. The writing is lyrical, poetic, eloquently descriptive - including a tremendous passage recounting the emotions of flying at night, by dead reckoning on a simple compass bearing, without radio or other navigational aids. Not included are any mention of husbands (she was thrice married) and a son - so to try and understand this enigma I have bought a biography - 'Straight on till morning' by Mary Lovell.… (more)