Helpful Score: 1
I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It had been sitting on my 'to be read' shelf for a while. What a beautifully written historical novel. It not only made me 'feel' right there and in the period it was portrayed in, but as a woman it was wonderfully insightful into how a woman of the period would feel. Just really a very nice read. I did find myself wondering if men would find it such a great book as a female reader would. The characters were all wonderful and bold and believable.
Helpful Score: 1
In Circling the Sun, Paula McLain has penned another wonderful fictionalized description of a historical figure Beryl Markham. The book chronicles her life and relationships from her childhood in Kenya to her record-setting flight across the Atlantic. The characters come to life in this book that is more about the relationships and emotional ups and downs rather than the adventure story of Beryl Markham's life or the African setting.
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/07/circling-sun.html
Reviewed based on a publisher's galley received through NetGalley
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/07/circling-sun.html
Reviewed based on a publisher's galley received through NetGalley
Well written excellent biography of Beryl Markham, raised in Africa, became the first woman to be become licensed as a horse trainer, and later flew airplanes. very interesting story.
Beryl Markham was quite an interesting woman. Very true to her own heaart.
I thought the novel was good, but certain aspects of her life were really cut short. Marriages ended without us really knowing why, no real dirt on the scandals, etc.
The writing about the beauty of Africa was amazing.
I thought the novel was good, but certain aspects of her life were really cut short. Marriages ended without us really knowing why, no real dirt on the scandals, etc.
The writing about the beauty of Africa was amazing.
one of the most boring books I have read, couldn't get past the first 100 pages!
Fiction based on real life. Great book, easy read, hard to put down. Sort of a sequel to Out of Africa.
This book was beautifully written. The life of Beryl Markham was an exciting adventure in Kenya in the early 1900's. Her friends (including Isak Dinsen and Deryl Finch) were remarkable and interesting to read about also. If you haven't read "Out of Africa" it is a companion book in my opinion.
Just finished listening to this audio today. Loved this story which was read by the author, Paula McLain about the life of Beryl Markham who was raised in Kenya and grew to be a bold young woman who trained horses and learned to fly in spite of her unconventional upbringing. It's about a woman before her time and all her adventures and the tenacity of her human spirit. Highly recommended!
This novel tells the story of Beryl Markham who grew up in Kenya in the 1920s and later became the first person to fly from East to West across the Atlantic. Beryl came to Africa as a young girl with her parents but was then abandoned by her mother who leaves Beryl and her father to return to England. Her father operates a horse ranch in Kenya and Beryl soon becomes proficient at horse training in a male dominated field. When her father's ranch goes bust, he moves to South Africa leaving Beryl in Kenya in a loveless marriage to her first husband, Jock Purves. But Beryl perseveres and makes acquaintances with others in the Kenyan society including Karen Blixen who wrote Out of Africa and her lover Denys Finch Hatton with whom Beryl falls into a disastrous relationship. She later marries a rich English socialite, Mansfield Markham, who enables Beryl to continue as a horse trainer in Africa but her heart belonged to Denys. Denys encouraged her to learn to fly which led to her record flight across the Atlantic.
This was a very well-written novel and brought Kenya in the 1920s to life. I saw the movie version of Out of Africa many years ago and now would like to see it again. I also want to read the book as well as Markham's memoir, West With the Night. Markham was definitely a very flawed person but her life makes for very interesting reading.
This was a very well-written novel and brought Kenya in the 1920s to life. I saw the movie version of Out of Africa many years ago and now would like to see it again. I also want to read the book as well as Markham's memoir, West With the Night. Markham was definitely a very flawed person but her life makes for very interesting reading.
