Back in the day, when Men Were Men and women were generally more retiring and not as adventurous as they are today, there were Those Women who scandalized, intrigued and caught the imagination of the world by their daring and brave forays into untamed lands and wilderness. I have read biographies and autobiographies of these women and I am fascinated by their achievements and bravery. Many people have seen Out of Africa, based on the book of the same title by Karen Blixen, aka Isak Dinesen. Another book that I found fascinating is West with the Night, by Beryl Markham.
Beryl Markham arrived in East Africa in 1906 at the age of four. Her mother beat a hasty retreat to England, leaving her daughter in the care of her husband, a horse-breeder and trainer. Beryl grew up a child of Africa, spending time with the native children and living in the benign neglect that led to self-reliance that would stand her in good stead in the years to come. Her autobiography is a beautifully written story of her life in East Africa, of the people she encountered and befriended, and of a life filled with adventure and challenge. There is some controversy surrounding the authorship of West with the Night. Markham's third husband claimed to have ghost-written the book, but, no matter, it is still a great read. Anyway, I prefer to think he was jealous of all the attention his ex-wife received upon the book's publication. Friends and lovers abound in the pages and the danger of living in a place over-run with wild animals is never discounted. Her love for Africa and its people is apparent, as well as her acceptance of the inherent risk of living in such a place. Beryl Markham was a very glamorous and accomplished woman, but her life was filled with much sadness and tragedy. Reading West with the Night is a great opportunity to revel in the glorious Africa of a bygone era when so much opportunity existed for those brave enough to face an untamed and unspoiled land. It also gives the reader a chance to reflect on the "what ifs" that hind-sight affords the student of history.
Where do I begin to write about The Lady and the Panda? I suppose I begin with the book's complete title, The Lady and the Panda: The True Adventure of the First American Explorer to Bring Back China's Most Exotic Animal. Whew! Henceforth, I will use the abbreviated title. I had no idea, previous to reading this book, that the first giant panda was brought to America in the arms of Ruth Harkness, a fashion designer and socialite. Harkness was determined to find, capture and bring home a panda after her husband, Bill Harkness, died of throat cancer in Shanghai before he could accomplish the task. This story is absolutely amazing. Besides giving a great description of life in China in the 1930's for expatriates and adventurers, it details the incredible expeditions into the wilderness and mountains to find, kill and/or capture all types of wildlife. Granted, it was a different time and people were blissfully ignorant of the folly of wholesale slaughter of exotic species, but it is chilling to read the documentation of these hunting trips. Please understand, I come from a family of sportsmen and hunters. I am not opposed to hunting. I am, however, horrified at the slaughter of wildlife just for the glory of killing. I am also not a big fan of most zoo and animal exhibits. But this story is fascinating. It is, warts and all, a heroic tale of a woman determined to see a task through to the end. Ruth Harkness was a strong and resourceful woman who did what no man had been able to accomplish- to bring a healthy, giant panda out of the wilds of the Chinese mountains and cut through the nightmare of bureaucracy to transport the animal safely to the United States. The methods she used to get from A to Z make a terrific story.
Read The Lady and the Panda, by Vicki Croke. Perhaps you will come to the logical conclusion that I did concerning why it "took a woman to do a man's job." In my opinion, this was NEVER a man's job! Let me know what you think.
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