Book Notes | ‘West with the Night’
West with the Night is a memoir by Beryl Markham, who is mainly known for being the first person to fly across the Atlantic from east to west. The last chapter of the book covers her non-stop, solo flight, which took place in 1936. Her plane had no radio, and she had to fly over unbroken ocean for 2,000 of the total 3,600 miles.
The rest of the book, first published in 1942, covers her career as a horse trainer and then a bush pilot in Kenya, known at the time as British East Africa. Markham also tells about her childhood growing up in Africa, her adventures with her native African friend, running barefoot through the jungle, getting attacked and bitten by a lion, and visiting the dances of the local native tribe. An excellent introduction added to the 2018 reissue of the book tells more about Markham’s risqué personal life in England.
Figurative language, including personifications of animals and inanimate objects, give the book a poetic quality. As Ernest Hemingway said, “…She can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers—it really is a bloody wonderful book.”
Reminiscent of Isaak Dinnesen’s Out of Africa, Markham’s memoir describes flying with Denys Finch Hatton, who appears in both books and died in his mid-40s in a plane crash.
Markham also spent time elephant hunting with Bror Von Blixen-Finecke, a Swedish big-game hunter who was like a superhero to her. He taught her that an airplane could be used to spot the elephants. Her friend Tom Black, who taught Markham to fly, never approved of her flying for Blixen, saying it was too dangerous because the places she had to go to had nowhere to land the plane, if necessary. She disagreed, went against Black’s advice, and the only time she had to land in a small place she did so, without incident.
Most everyone in our group liked the book. Some wondered how Markham, not having a formal education, could have written something so sophisticated. Her lack of sympathy for the elephants was also questioned, but understood because of the difference in how such things are viewed today. Some thought Markham should have written about her life in England, but most liked the memoir as it was.
—Pat Tollefson, UMRA Book Club I
Book Club I in September
Fri, Sep 19, 2025, 2pm
On Sept. 19, Book Club I will discuss West with the Night by Beryl Markham. The book is a 1942 memoir chronicling the author's experiences growing up in Kenya in the early 1900's, her work as a racehorse trainer, and then as an aviator. In 1936 she became the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean from east to west. Today she is celebrated as an aviator pioneer.
Upcoming Events
UMRA’s Living Well Workshop on May 12 will feature Megan Walsh from the University of Minnesota Law School for a presentation on efforts to prevent gun violence through lawsuits designed to address unlawful practices in selling, manufacturing, or advertising firearms.
Craig Moody’s Swedish ancestors were among the 60,000 Swedes who chose to emigrate to the U.S. between 1868 and 1871, because of the poor economic conditions in their homeland. He has spent the last nine years investigating their history.
Back problems as we age and how we can treat them will be the discussion topic for the UMRA Breakfast meeting on Thursday, May 14. Paul Schanfield, MD, will be our expert resource person. He is a retired neurologist, a member of UMRA, and has personal experience with back surgery.
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another by Ainissa Ramirez when it meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 15.
Peter Moe, retired University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Director and UMRA member, will lead this hike.
Executive Vice President and Provost Gretchen Ritter will discuss her role and offer reflections on her first year at the University of Minnesota as the featured speaker for the UMRA Luncheon Forum on May 19 at Midland Hills Country Club in Roseville. The forum will be preceded by UMRA’s 2026 Annual Meeting.
"Third Wednesdays in the West Wing" is a pilot program for spring 2026.
A 1987 classic, cited as the gold standard of modern legal thrillers.
Bev leads at Hyland Lake Park Reserve.
Connect, explore new ideas for what it means to live and age well, and celebrate a community of continuous learning at the fifth annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis on Monday, June 8.
Abandoned and discarded is the theme for the UMRA Photo Club meeting in June. Newcomers are welcome.
Michael leads this hike at Afton State Park.
We will gather in the Waterfall Room for an in-person, summer social and luncheon for UMRA members and guests on June 24th. Our event will include social time; a plated, seated lunch; and the always popular Summer Social Trivia Game with quizmasters Dave Dorman and Mark Jenson.
Kayaking at Lake Bde Maka Ska.
Bev leads the Nokomis walk to Minnehaha Falls.