Educated

#1 NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND BOSTON GLOBE BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • O: The Oprah Magazine • Time • NPR • Financial Times • The Economist • The Guardian • Newsday • Refinery29 • Real Simple • Bustle • Pamela Paul, KQED • Publishers Weekly • LibraryReads • Library Journal • New York Public Library  • PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA’S SUMMER READING • ONE OF BILL GATES’S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR • LONGLISTED FOR THE CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE

An unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University

“Beautiful and propulsive . . . Despite the singularity of [Tara Westover’s] childhood, the questions her book poses are universal: How much of ourselves should we give to those we love? And how much must we betray them to grow up?”—Vogue

Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her 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 one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. 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.

Praise for Educated

“Westover has somehow managed not only to capture her unsurpassably exceptional upbringing, but to make her current situation seem not so exceptional at all, and resonant for many others.”—The New York Times Book Review

“A heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life.”—USA Today

“A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle.”—O: The Oprah Magazine

“Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives.”—Amy Chua, The New York Times Book Review

Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, but learners may also educate themselves. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. The methodology of teaching is called pedagogy. Formal education is commonly divided formally into such stages as preschool or kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and then college, university, or apprenticeship. A right to education has been recognized by some governments and the United Nations. In most regions, education is compulsory up to a certain age...

Gripping, Disturbing, CompellingKateWood

(May contain information that could be perceived as a spoiler....) I devoured this memoir in two days and immediately recommended it to family. It is a deeply disturbing memoir of family ties, search for self, emotional and physical abuse and the amazing strength of the man spirit. I so admired Tara throughout the book for being a tough, bright young woman, who although was eager to please her family, also had a mind of her own. I literally cried multiple times through the book as she (and other family members) found herself (themselves) in near death accidents because of the negligence and arrogance of her father or the victim of abuse at the hands of her brother. It was maddening to read accounts of her going back home after feeling some satisfaction that she had “escaped”. In the end I have nothing but respect for her. She endured so much suppression, abuse and manipulation it is amazing she has accomplished what she has and can speak so eloquently about her experiences. I wish I could embrace her and thank her for sharing her story, and I truly hope that she is doing well. She will probably never read this, but if so, Tara, I believe every word you wrote and I think you made the right decisions in the end. You deserved so much more. You deserved to be protected from physical and emotional harm. You count as a person. I hope you are at peace and are happy with your life. 55

Educatedtootie08

AMAZING BOOK! So inspirational ❤️ 55

AstonishingDot in Boise

Once you start reading Tara Westover’s story, don’t plan to do anything else until you finish. She brings the reader inside to live a story that most of could not otherwise even imagine. Wow! 55

Moving, tragic & beautifulzzreads

A real account of family, determination, loss and self-love. Like a phoenix rising in the ash, we follow Tara on a painful journey to self-discovery and cheer for her miraculous education of life. 55

Educationcitygirlcountrygirl

Mesmerizing, I read it in two days. I grew up in a very rural area with no abuse but breaking free from the place was very difficult. I could relate to those moments when you just couldn’t rationalize the culture anymore but could still love your family even if they felt they couldn’t trust you anymore. Thank you for this healing book and the bravery it took to write it and live it. 55

Amazing story, well toldKT Reads

Loved this book for so many reasons--the efforts at accuracy, the careful prose, the use of tension and suspense. So much of this story is unbelievable to anyone with no experience of fundamentalism, mental illness, or dysfunctional families. But Westover brings it all to life with tenderness toward all. 55

Highly recommendjenMHM10

A 55

GrippingKirtan katie

Just spent a harrowing week reading this memoir. I’ll never forget this story, and the powerful characters within it. Especially because it’s a true story- or as true as can be from Memory. Thank you Tara for your courage. This is a tale of a survivor and I will recommend it to friends. 55

EducatedBookNerd#

Amazing! 55

Excellent1111momtobe

In the same category as the Glass Castle. So tragic, so engaging, and so eye opening. Wow. 55

Terrifying, truthful and tortured.tntcello

In the frantically short time it took to read Tara Westover's "Educated" (I couldn't put it down), I lived the 27 years she narrates with such Beaty and pathos. I was as ignorant of the lifestyle she was born into as she was of the world around her and felt myself growing along with her. This book made me want to scream at her to love herself and reminded me to heed that advice myself. Brava brave Tara. 55

Read this now.Goldilocks01

Inspirational. Breathtaking. Everything you ever needed to read. 55

EducationTCMD1219

Truly a remarkable book. Difficult to put down. Beautiful story of resiliency of a young woman. 55

EducatedAceshtx

Spellbinding account of how a child can overcome extreme lifestyles. 55

Education mattersNaplesBob

Exceptional book by a courageous and talented writer! The author’s self discovery and passion for self improvement is very inspiring and should be required reading at the high school level. 55

Degenerate AnatomytoddioDC

It’s the easiest thing - to read Tara Westover’s harrowing memoir as the confirmation of everything an educated person knows to be wrong with America: her father, his Mormon faith, her family’s delusions; the fear and loathing, and paranoia; the absolute denial of facts and personal autonomy. Why shouldn’t we? Why should this testimony of the most profound human degeneracy - the demonization of knowledge; the vilification of civilization (which is precisely what makes libertarianism inimical to all basic human values) be any less towering a reference of our condition than say Tom Friedman’s “The World Is Flat”? Westover’s testament is not a caricature. She is not a state paid Russian troll. Her story is the ghoulish reality of Red state America: ignorant, bigoted, pathologically religiously abusive, and so thoroughly malevolent and moronic, no one would believe it were it not told in the first person by a brutalized escapee such as its author. Education makes you human. Welcome to the feral state of America. 55

Best bookIowa Janae

AMAZING!!!! 55

EducatedStadidad

As an only child, I was fascinated by this large, dysfunctional family. The domineering father and subservient mother was so sad. Tara was bright and had to struggle so hard to become her own healthy person. I felt so sorry for Emily and other women who could not leave such bad relationships. Tara's story is one of great bravery in finally becoming her own person. 45

EducatedTakeaway time

Interesting, but confusing. Just like her life! I could not relate to such an intelligent woman having the doubts about herself and her understanding of abuse that she experienced. Makes me doubt that education can help overcome poor nurturing. 35

Educated3 kids, one mom

An amazing, incredible story. Read it. There are few books that will touch you in the same way. 55