Beryl Markham
Aviator
Beryl Markham was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean from east to west, making the trip on September 4-5, 1936. (Charles Lindbergh made the very first cross-Atlantic solo flight in 1927.) Markham grew up in Kenya; she was the first woman there to receive a commercial pilot's license and became a well-known bush pilot. Markham's memoirs of her life and the Atlantic flight, West With the Night, were published in 1942 to critical acclaim. The book was republished in 1983 and was again a success. Later in life Markham was a successful horse trainer and won the Kenya Derby six times.Ms. Markham appears with actress Bo Derek in our loop Mauled By Lions. She also joins Sally Ride in our loop on Female First Flights.
Four Good Links
Beryl Markham Links
Unexpected find: a nice guide to Markham sites online (some links out of date, though)
Beryl Markham Biography
Detailed story of Markham's life, from a site about fellow African author Isak Dinesen
Women in Flight
Text of a lengthy 1999 talk; chatty introduction to Markam and other female flyers
Author and Hero in West With the Night
Addresses the rumor that Markham didn't really write her famous memoirs
Vital Stats
Birth
Birthplace
Death
Best Known As
Author of the memoir West With the Night
