Educated
Emotional
Intense
Honest

Educated A Memoir

Tara Westover2018
Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her “head-for-the-hills” bag. In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged metal in her father’s junkyard. Her father distrusted the medical establishment, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when an older brother became violent. When another brother got himself into college and came back with news of the world beyond the mountain, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. She taught herself enough mathematics, grammar, and science to take the ACT and was admitted to Brigham Young University. There, she studied psychology, politics, philosophy, and history, learning for the first time about pivotal world events like the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home. Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty, and of the grief that comes from severing one’s closest ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one’s life through new eyes, and the will to change it.
Sign up to use

Reviews

Photo of ezra
ezra @xerzra
3 stars
Dec 13, 2024
Photo of Anna Oeltjenbruns
Anna Oeltjenbruns@annaoel
4.5 stars
Nov 30, 2024
Photo of Ashna Nirula
Ashna Nirula@ashnanirula
5 stars
Nov 27, 2024
Deep
Daring
Candid
Erratic
Intense
Gruesome
Original
Beautiful
Meaningful
Unpredictable
Photo of Elsa Saks
Elsa Saks@elsa
5 stars
Sep 19, 2024
Photo of Aina
Aina@ainer
4 stars
Aug 19, 2024
Photo of Ainsley Jeffery
Ainsley Jeffery@ainsleyjeffery
3 stars
Jul 5, 2024
Photo of Matt Eaves
Matt Eaves@eavesyy
4 stars
Jul 5, 2024
Photo of Erin G.
Erin G.@toughcakes
5 stars
Jul 4, 2024
Photo of Angelyn Francis
Angelyn Francis@angelynsayshi
5 stars
Jul 4, 2024
Photo of Daphne Li-Chen
Daphne Li-Chen@daphne
4 stars
Jun 16, 2024
Photo of Sanjay Krishna
Sanjay Krishna @sjaykh
5 stars
Jun 7, 2024
Photo of Timeo Williams
Timeo Williams@timeowilliams
4 stars
Jun 5, 2024
Photo of Fireless
Fireless@adragonwithoutfire
5 stars
Jun 1, 2024
Photo of Ditipriya Acharya
Ditipriya Acharya@diti
3 stars
May 31, 2024
Photo of Denisse Garcia Ramírez
Denisse Garcia Ramírez @den_gr
4.5 stars
May 25, 2024
Intense
Powerful
Meaningful
Heartbreaking
Photo of Gigi V
Gigi V@barksandvino
4 stars
May 2, 2024
Photo of Alex Shinsky
Alex Shinsky@shin
5 stars
Mar 23, 2024
Photo of Sandrin
Sandrin@sandrin
4 stars
Mar 9, 2024
Photo of Trip Dunham
Trip Dunham @trippyd
5 stars
Mar 1, 2024
Honest
Intense
Thrilling
Suspenseful
Photo of Naveen Sheik
Naveen Sheik@navsheik
5 stars
Feb 4, 2024
Photo of Pamela Koh
Pamela Koh@the1pam
5 stars
Jan 29, 2024
Photo of faye
faye@loveat2pm
5 stars
Jan 24, 2024
Photo of Francesca Starecheski
Francesca Starecheski@cescastar
4 stars
Jan 22, 2024
Photo of hileahrious
hileahrious@hileahrious
5 stars
Jan 12, 2024

Highlights

Photo of Anna Oeltjenbruns
Anna Oeltjenbruns@annaoel
Page 242
Photo of Aina
Aina@ainer
Page 307
Photo of Aina
Aina@ainer
Page 301
Photo of Aina
Aina@ainer
Page 230
Photo of Luoyi
Luoyi@emzshen
Page 316
Photo of Luoyi
Luoyi@emzshen
Page 272
This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of Luoyi
Luoyi@emzshen
Page 223
Photo of Luoyi
Luoyi@emzshen
Page 165
Photo of Luoyi
Luoyi@emzshen
Page 147
Photo of Luoyi
Luoyi@emzshen
Page 125
Photo of Luoyi
Luoyi@emzshen
Page 43
Photo of kata
kata@katacaramel
Photo of kata
kata@katacaramel
Photo of kata
kata@katacaramel
Photo of Denisse Garcia Ramírez
Denisse Garcia Ramírez @den_gr
Photo of Denisse Garcia Ramírez
Denisse Garcia Ramírez @den_gr
Photo of Denisse Garcia Ramírez
Denisse Garcia Ramírez @den_gr
Photo of Denisse Garcia Ramírez
Denisse Garcia Ramírez @den_gr
Photo of kata
kata@katacaramel
Page 180
Photo of kata
kata@katacaramel
Page 109
Photo of kata
kata@katacaramel
Page 97
Photo of kata
kata@katacaramel
Page 19
Photo of Kyler Phillips
Kyler Phillips@kyler
Photo of Kyler Phillips
Kyler Phillips@kyler