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I love books that inspire you to pick up other books! I read Circling the Sun by Paula McLain in 2015 and was wowed by Beryl Markham’s life, which is the basis for McLain’s historical fiction novel — so much so that I bought a copy of Markham’s memoir, West With The Night. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ She worshipped her father, who brought her to Africa at the age of 4. She scorned her lessons and spent time hunting with African tribesmen and training thoroughbreds on her father’s farm. At 17, when the farm went bankrupt, she chose not to follow her father to Peru, becoming a horse trainer in her own right — the first woman in Africa to do so. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ She was a bush pilot, flying one of those impossible planes with no radio or real equipment. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ She was the first person to fly East to West over the Atlantic without stopping. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ She married thrice and had numerous affairs, most notably with Prince Henry (son of King George V), Denys Finch Hatton (the same man with whom Karen Blixen, who wrote Out of Africa, had a relationship), Antoine Saint-Exupéry (author of The Little Prince), and Tom Campbell Black (the aviator who taught her how to fly). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Ernest Hemingway, who met her on safari, wrote that Markham was both a bitch and a marvelous writer (honestly, is there a higher compliment?!) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Published in 1942, Markham’s language and attitude about Africa reflect the time in which she lived. She was a white woman in colonialist Africa (at the time, British East Africa) and there is much to reckon with in her portrayal, especially as a contemporary reader. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Her sense of humor and writing style captivated me from the first chapter, and I kept stopping to research people she mentioned (the mark of an interesting read!). Markham was an incredible woman, one you’d love to have a few drinks with because you know she has the most incredible stories to tell. Reading her memoir gives you just a glimpse. via Instagram https://instagr.am/p/CcNmqUPLV-s/