Beryl Markham’s West with the Night provides fascinating lessons in aviation, history, geography, plant and animal wildlife, and courageous living. The title West with the Night refers to Markham’s 1936 record-setting feat of flying solo from England across the Atlantic to North America. The 3,600-mile flight was from east to west, and most of the twenty-one hours and twenty-five minutes of the trip were in darkness, against the wind, and over unbroken ocean.

This beautifully rendered memoir showcases Markham’s upbringing in East Africa, and her insatiable drive toward exploration, ultimately manifested through her love of flight. West with the Night stands as one of the finest adventure books written.