Book notes | Circling the Sun
This historical novel depicts the life of Beryl Markham from her birth in 1902 until her mid-thirties. Beryl was born in England but moved at age 4 when her father took the family to Kenya to set up a horse farm. Kenya at the time was the colonial British East Africa. Beryl’s mother soon abandoned her and her father, returning to England with Beryl’s brother.
Beryl’s childhood was greatly influenced by her father and the native Kipsigis tribe. She grew up with little restraint or attention to the cultural norms for women at that time. This unconventional upbringing came into conflict with expectations once she came of age for marriage.
In describing Markham’s life in 1920s colonial Kenya, author Paula McLain introduces us to a variety of characters that influenced Markham’s life. The beauty of the country also comes through clearly in the novel, as does the strangeness of British citizens trying to superficially maintain their British ways of being in Africa while also living and loving by their own rules.
A non-conformist
Markham was a non-conformist, becoming the first licensed woman horse trainer in Kenya at the age of 17. She married more than once and had a passionate affair with safari hunter Denys Finch Hatton, who was romantically involved with the Danish author Baroness Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen). Markham became a bush pilot and, in 1936, was the first pilot to successfully cross the Atlantic, east to west, from England to North America. She wrote a memoir about her life, West With the Night, upon which McLain based much of the story in her historical novel.
The responses of UMRA Book Club I members to the book were mixed. Many enjoyed the descriptions of Kenya and the character’s early life as well as the depiction of colonialism in the story. Some readers found it difficult to like Markham as an adult because of the choices she made. There was general agreement that she was an interesting character who broke boundaries for women as both a horse trainer and aviator.
Readers of Markham’s memoir felt that McLain’s historical novel did not emphasize accomplishments that were more detailed in the memoir. Instead, the second part of the book seemed “gossipy” to them, focusing too much on the amoral lifestyle of the ex-patriots living in Kenya.
—Kathy Cramer, UMRA Book Club I member
Book Club I to meet July 15
Fri, Jul 15 2022, 2pm
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of Circling the Sun by Paula McLain when the UMRA Book Club I meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 15.
Email Pat Tollefson for more information, including suggestions for starting a new book club.
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.