Educated is Tara Westover’s unique memoir about her life growing up in and finally leaving rural Idaho. She was raised on a farm at the base of a mountain by parents who mistrusted the government and didn’t believe in enrolling their children in formal education. Pursuing her own schooling independently eventually transformed Tara’s life and worldview.
Tara depicts her complicated family dynamics and relationships through compelling vulnerability. This book both inspired and horrified me as I read about the circumstances Tara endured from young childhood to early adulthood. I read this book the summer before starting a professional degree program to become a teacher. For this reason, I think I found the story especially important and moving.
I highly recommend this book, with the warning that some of the main subjects of the novel are abuse and extremist perspectives and behaviour. I would suggest this book for adult readers and perhaps mature, older teenagers.