November 1, 2020
Educated by Tara Westover
I choose this book because it was available and one of the new releases at my local library. I also needed an audiobook for my road trip and though this would make a great companion during my drive. The one word title did prompt me to wonder why an author would title a book, and another reason for choosing it.
Tara recounts her life growing up in Idaho to survivalist parents.. She overcomes many obstacles to acquire her education. The setting of the authors memoir centers around her home in Idaho, her time spent in Cambridge and Harvard.
This is a Memoir of Tara Westover’s life. The author is the youngest of 6 children. Her father owns a scrap yard and construction business. Her older brother is a truck driver based in Las Vegas, her abusive brother Sean is the forman for her fathers construction business. Her older sister is Audrey. Her brother Tyler has a stuttering problem. Her other brothers Luke and Richard work for the family business.
The author recounts her life growing up in rural Idaho to survivalist parents. Her father owns a scrap yard and construction business. He father does not believe in government and socialist institutions such as formal schooling etc.
The older siblings attend school briefly but are soon pulled from school and work in family scrap yard and construction business. The siblings are home-schooled by their mother.
A big part of the book recounts the story of the author dealing with her abusive older brother. We also learn of the authors struggle to grow up in a dysfunctional family. We learn of the author wanting to remain loyal to her family and wanting to escape the abusive brother and go to school.
Ultimately, the author overcomes many obstacles from having very little money, an abusive older brother, bi-polar father and protective mother to attending two of the most prestiges universities in the world. She ears her PHD and doctoral degrees and in her own words have become educated in the process.
I listened to this book twice, once while I was on a road trip, and the other while I was working around the house. It’s an amazing story, and found myself intrigued by characters experience. Listening to an memoir and then trying to picture yourself in the various situations the author speaks of is quit difficult. I found myself asking if I would have made the same choices. Kudos to the author for braving such a challenging life and becoming such a great success.
Definitely a great read, and highly recommended.