Beryl Markham (born October 26, 1902,Leicester, Leicestershire, England—died August 3, 1986,Nairobi, Kenya) was an English professional pilot,horse trainer and breeder, writer, and adventurer, best known for hermemoir,West with the Night (1942; reissued 1983). She was also the first person to fly solo across theAtlantic Ocean from east to west.

At age four Markham went with her father toBritish East Africa, where she received a spotty education while hunting with African tribesmen and learning to speak Swahili and several Africandialects. She remained inKenya alone when her father’s fortune was lost and he left for Peru. At age 18 she became the first woman in Africa to receive a racehorse-trainer’s license. While in her late 20s, Markham learned to fly and became a commercial pilot, doing free-lance transporting of goods, people, and mail. She made a historic solo flight (1936) across the North Atlantic fromEngland toCape Breton Island, Canada.

In 1942 she wroteWest with the Night (possibly with the help of others), and, her reputation having preceded her, she was invited to Hollywood. In addition to occasionally writing short stories, Markham trained six KenyaDerby winners. ThoughWest with the Night had not been a great success when it was published, popular interest in colonial Africa and the complex relationships among the white settlers there—includingIsak Dinesen, Bror Blixen, and Denys Finch Hatton—rekindled interest in the period during the late 20th century.

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