Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

Circling the Sun brings us the story of Beryl Markham, a truly self made woman who was way ahead of her time.  Beryl had a rough and tumble childhood in the wilds of Africa with her mother abandoning her at an early age.  Her father was struggling to establish his farm and his reputation as a respected horse trainer.  Beryl learns much from her father about horses, but she receives little support or concern for her goals in life, as was most likely typical for woman in the 1920s.  Beryl finds herself trapped in a marriage and at odds with her spouse over the direction her life should take.  Throughout the course of the novel, Beryl struggles to find her footing and meets much adversity, some of her own making.  She shows great resilience and strength of character in all the trials she endures.  I did get the sense Beryl was a self-made woman since she had such little support in her life but yet she continued to push forward to meet and exceed whatever goals she set for herself.  While Beryl was a record setting aviator, the book focused more on her life prior to those high flying adventures.  Her pursuits on the race track and horse training along with her love and social life receive the greatest focus in the novel.  The vivid descriptions of race day make you feel as if you are watching the race unfold before you.  The author paints beautiful pictures of Africa with her words as well.    

Circling the Sun is a wonderful glimpse into life in 1920s Africa and the struggles that women faced at that time.  Beryl Markham was a very interesting character and I enjoyed this foray into her life and times.  

Circling the Sun would make an excellent choice for book clubs since there is so much to explore both in the book itself and the real life characters who inspired it.  

I received this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballatine Books through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  

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