If you love historical fiction and stories about strong women, you might want to check out Circling the Sun by Paula McLain. This novel is a fictitious story about the life of author, racehorse trainer, and bush pilot Beryl Markham. Born in England but raised in Kenya, Beryl is fiercely independent, preferring to spend her time hunting with the local Kenyan boys and seeing who can throw a spear the farthest rather than go to school and learn how to behave like a “lady.” Beryl’s father instills in her a love of horses that eventually leads Beryl to become the first licensed female horse trainer. Needless to say, being a woman in a male-dominated field proves difficult, but Beryl perseveres despite the sexism she faces, letting her record on the racetrack speaks for itself. But Beryl’s talents don’t end with horse training. Her love of adventure inspires her to learn to fly a plane, and she becomes the first woman to successfully fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Not only is Beryl a complex and interesting character, but the novel is also a love letter to Kenya, with vivid descriptions of the beautiful landscape that will make you want to go there and see it for yourself. If you’d like to know more about Beryl’s fascinating life, you can read her memoir, West with the Night, available at Vaughan Public Libraries.