Circling the Sun/Paula McLain/366 pgs.

Paula McLain gives an engrossing, fictionalized account of the life of Beryl Markham--a woman horse trainer, airplane pilot, among her other accomplishments. From around the age of 4 years old, Beryl was raised by her father on a farm in Kenya, where she ran free, interacted with the natives, and developed an independent spirit that got her into trouble as she became older. This historical fiction account of Beryl's life gives the reader a glimpse into the political times of Kenya in the early 20th century, the restrictions (and freedoms) of English women living in an "uncivilized" country, just to name a few. This is our August book club read, and I wasn't looking forward to it, since I'm not a big fan of historical fiction. However, this was one of the most interesting books I have read in awhile. Our book club has also read McLain's The Paris Wife, which was equally intriguing. I highly recommend both books by this author!