Tara Westover is the youngest of seven children born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho. She spent her childhood preparing for the end of the world, learning how to shoot guns and stockpile food. When she was seventeen, her family moved out of the mountains and into civilization, where she discovered education-and a new way to live. In this startling memoir, Tara Westover tells how she survived an upbringing that prepared her only for isolation, poverty, and violence-and how she ultimately found refuge in books and learning. Despite never having attended school or seeing a doctor until age seventeen, Tara became first a bestselling author and then Cambridge Universityāeducated historian working on behalf of Harvard University. Her academic research has contributed to our understanding of religious extremism and terrorism.
For who is this book for ?
This book is for people who are interested in biographies and memoirs. It tells the story of Tara Westover’s life, from her childhood spent preparing for the end of the world to her time as a Cambridge University-educated historian.
Pros :
- Tara Westover is a brilliant, young writer and historian who has overcome incredible odds to achieve success.
- This memoir is harrowing but ultimately inspiring, as Tara demonstrates the power of education to change lives.
- The story of Tara’s upbringing is both unique and powerful, providing readers with an insight into a rarely seen world.
Cons :
- The writing style might not be for everyone.
- The author’s story is at times difficult to read.
- It is a dense, academic book that may be challenging for some readers
Learn more about the author
Tara Westover was born in 1982 in Idaho, the youngest of seven children raised by survivalists. She spent her childhood preparing for the end of the world-learning to shoot guns and stockpile food-and when she was seventeen, her family moved out of the mountains and into civilization, where she discovered education-and a new way to live. In this startling memoir, Tara Westover tells how she survived an upbringing that prepared her only for isolation, poverty, and violence; how she became first a bestselling author and then Cambridge Universityāeducated historian working on behalf of Harvard University; and how her academic research has contributed to our understanding of religious extremism%. Educated is an unforgettable accountof one woman’s journey from unlettered homeschooling through years at Brigham Young University – including physical abuse by those who should have loved her most – to intellectual enlightenment in one of America’s top universities.
Reader Reviews
“This beautifully written, powerful memoir is a searing indictment of family violence and the extremes to which religious fundamentalism can lead. It’s also an inspiring story of triumph over adversity.”
“A memoir that is both unyielding and unforgettable.”
“This memoir is astonishing…Westover has somehow managed not only to capture her harrowing life story, but also to make it riveting. Educated reads like a novel-except it’s all true.”
“An amazing story of surviving and thriving despite incredible odds.”
