West with the Night

By: Beryl Markham

Narrated by: Julie Harris

Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

West with the Night is the story of a remarkable woman molded and shaped by many things: the African jungle, a certain dog, horses, airplanes, friendships with white men and black. There is no life, no story quite like it.

©1942, 1983 Beryl Markham. Recorded by arrangement with North Point Press, a division of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC (P)2003 The Arthur and Luce Klein Audio Collection, The Yale Collection of Historical Sound Recordings, Yale University Music Library

Critic reviews

"Julie Harris' reading of aviatrix Beryl Markham's biography and celebration of Africa is an essential audiobook. Enjoy the magic of the spoken word and Harris' lovely performance." (AudioFile)

A dream of a book!

Julie Harris's narration is delicious. It is not a theatrical performance, she is unabashedly reading a book to you. The story is incredible - not about Africa but about LIVING in Africa, about experiencing history instead of hearing about it.

Bloody Wonderful Book

Fan-freaking-tastic memoir. The writing alone is worth the price of admission. It’s equal parts poetry and blow-by-blow, bare bones, “just the facts, Ma’am” action. Add in the stories (hunting barefoot as a child, training racehorses, learning to fly) and you have one of the best memoirs available. She literally gives no thought to what a woman should do, she just does what she’s good at (and there are no other women around..in the whole Continent, it seems). She is funny, brave, humble, self-aware, and glorious. I loved this book.

But don’t listen to me. Here’s what Hemingway said about the book (and the spectacular author): "Did you read Beryl Markham's book, West With The Night? ...She has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer. I felt that I was simply a carpenter with words, picking up whatever was furnished on the job and nailing them together and sometimes making an okay pig pen. But this girl, who is to my knowledge very unpleasant and we might even say a high-grade bitch, can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers ... it really is a bloody wonderful book."

Bloody wonderful book. All the stars.

Amazing Woman but wanted more insight into her

Having read her biography before listening to this, I was disappointed so much was left out. She was great on describing the details of others, events and nature. But I wish she had shared more about her own motivations. She never mentioned her husband’s, child or some other challenges. Certainly, a unique listen and reflection on her journey. Without reading Circling the Sun first , I am not sure I would have loved it as much which is why I gave it 4 stars.

Poignant

Truly poetic prose. A masterful use of the English language that paints powerful word pictures.

A wonder of a listen

This is a beautifully written memoir of a exquisite, fascinating life from an era now only imagined. The narrator is perfect for the material.

Both the best and worst audiobook I’ve listened to.

Fascinating, wonderfully written book. Julie Harris’s narration was full of page turning, prolonged swallowing and background noise. But the horse race was the best piece of audio I ever listened to.

Captivating and beautiful storytelling

I've just this year begun reading memoirs. I've read about 7 this year, from all kinds of people, from several different eras. This is my favorite. Her writing is deeply engaging, across a wonderful landscape and entertains in a way that just makes me feel so very grateful for her and this book. Highly recommend. Again and again.

Outstanding

A great piece of literature. Beryl Markham’s name is familiar to most people who have taken interest in the early decades of powered flight and I was interested to learn more about her Westward flight across the Atlantic, Unexpected, however, were the eloquence and intimacy with which Beryl conveyed her personal history leading up to that event, and her evocative description of places and people who gave her space to become the remarkable woman she was.

Flawlessly narrated and brought to life by Ms. Harris.

Captivating from the first page

Would you consider the audio edition of West with the Night to be better than the print version?

Yes, without question. Julie Harris WAS Beryl Markham. You could hear her love of the story as if it were her own.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Beryl herself. A remarkable childhood turned her into a remarkable woman.

What about Julie Harris’s performance did you like?

The honesty of it. Her voice rose and fell like the tides, putting every emotion of the writer into each page. I will look for more books narrated by Julie Harris.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The horse race between Rack and Wise Child. It would not have been nearly as exciting without Julie Harris' interpretation. (I have not yet completed the book...there may be more.)

Any additional comments?

I wish Beryl Markham had written more. I do not want the story to end. I wish I had not waited so long to listen to the book. It is absolutely incredible - my very favorite of all my books.

Superb style

Hemingway stated Markham could write circles around him. With due respect for him, he was right. A delicious read all the way through.