Tara Westover has had a life like no other. She grew up with a father, struggling with mental illness and a mother who ignored her children's pain.

Tara's life is the story of courage and struggle and ultimately the strength to do it on your own and be who you are.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this compelling story.

I nearly judged this book by its cover and almost passed it by. I'm so glad that I gave it a second look; and as it turns, the US cover that I wasn't so crazy about it absolutely perfect for this book. This memoir will draw inevitable comparisons to The Glass Castle and Hillbilly Elegy, and while it does bear some surface similarities to those books, it is truly in a class of its own. The obstacles that Tara Westover faced and overcame to get Educated-both in the traditional sense of the word as well as educated about herself and the world far outside of the insular place into which she was born, are astounding. Highly recommend.

I got lost in this story and loved the how education can shape or flatten your world.

This wonderful book made me think about our “self”, how much we owe our families in becoming who we are, what would happen if we lost that support too soon. Tara’s family is far from being perfect, I would say even dangerously neglectful and inconsiderate, living by the rules of a bipolar father/ prophet and a herbalist / chakra healer mother, ignoring common sense (like sending children to school, or seeking medical help), but it’s still her family, she didn’t know better. You could say everything happens for a reason, it’s God’s will – like Gene Westover says - , yet, could it be God’s will to be abused by your older, manipulative, psychopath brother and your parents to side with him? And because you don’t accept recanting your story (because a woman’s story, even of an educated one, means nothing), to be shunned. At first I was appalled by Tara’s breakdown, her regret for not being 16 again and accepting to be re-moulded, to become her mother. Then, I admired her strength to pick up the pieces and reconstruct herself (it must be very terrifying not to have a support system, not to have someone to share your joys and sorrows with), to raise above all this and consider it an education. Life is the best teacher.

I could not put this book down. The writing was so compelling, her struggle to break free from such an unhealthy life and to realize she had choices and abilities, I cannot imagine surviving through such circumstances as she did. An inspiring life.

Educated documents the life of Tara Westover who raised by survivalist parents in Idaho but went on earn a PhD in history from Cambridge in 2014.  Her parents were steeped in the Mormon faith and believed that their lives were much better without depending on the government and its mechanisms.  Hence, Tara spent her childhood being homeschooled by her mum who is a self-taught midwife and worked with her father and her siblings in their junkyard and construction business. As a teenager, she realised that was possible to go school without necessarily compromising her beliefs when one of her brothers gets accepted to a prestigious university. She decided to take her chances despite her father's disdain. We then get to follow her in readjustment journey in university until she earns her doctorate degree.


Throughout the book, I was engaged and was eager to learn about her journey and her she was able to reconcile her faith and her new world. Readers will see her personal growth and empathise with her difficult decisions that her loved ones for her own wellbeing.  Educated will make the reader reflect their faith and its impact on their lives and where to draw the line with religious extremism especially against the backdrop of today's world of  "conspicuous" consumption and technology overdependence.


I believe finally, that education must be conceived as a continuing reconstruction of experience; that the process and the goal of education are one and the same thing. - John Dewey.


Educated is definitely a worthwhile read for anyone who would want to read outside to seek to understand a person of a different religion and how it affects their everyday life. This book has already garnered a lot of recognition from various outlets including Entertainment Weekly Most Anticipated Books of 2018, it would be a good one to keep on your radar.

This is a powerful memoir. Very well written with the objectivity of a woman who has processed her experiences and made her peace with the girl she was and the woman she is. Tara's childhood was filled with violence and extremist ideology. Her father faithfully read his scriptures and made interpretations that were extreme. He built a more strict religion than his Mormon neighbors yet continued to move the goal posts to fit his mood.

This is not a book about Mormonism. This the movement of one girl breaking free of the internal and external restraints that held her hostage. She gives a fair and balanced account of members in her family. None are cast as completely villainous or saintly. Yet the underlying current is that the home was ruled by a controlling father, deeply troubled by multiple mental illnesses left untreated and unchecked. Bipolar, paranoid, violent and, at times, psychotic, he preached anti-establishment, anti-government, and end of the world.

Additionally, the author experiences a complicated, contradictive relationship with an older brother that switched quickly from protector to violent protagonist. There is a parallel of sorts between the brother and the father. Both are capable of horrific abuse and neglect yet also of deep love. Neither are mentally stable yet the people surrounding them allow their reality to dictate their own existence. It is an extreme example of group gaslighting to the point that the sane questions his or her sanity.

In the same valley 65 years earlier, my dad stood and stretched his back after thinning sugar beets. In a moment of clarity, he saw his life if he stayed complacent; thinning sugar beets, hungry and poor. He quit that day and announced he was going to college. Without support or money, he worked whatever jobs he could get, joined ROTC, and eventually earned a Ph.D.

What the author so beautifully illustrates through her words is how she gained freedom through education, self analysis through historians and therapy, and how her journey, although still continuing, is one that she chooses and can enjoy.

This is one of the most harrowing books I have read. Every child should be protected by their parents and family. In many families, where mental illness is involved, this definitely doesn't happen. I was expecting to be dismayed by children not being educated, but this was so much more than that. I admire Ms. Westover for presenting her story so clearly and honestly. This must have been difficult to write. It was certainly difficult to read.

A heart wrenching memoir. The description for this book said “in the tradition of The Glass Castle” and while that is true on the basic level, it is so much more. This is the story of a young woman’s life and eventual triumph over her background and the way she was raised. When I started the book I was quickly brought into the constant tragedy that was Tara’s early life – and then it hit me. She was not writing about a third world country or even a long time ago – she was writing about here in the United States and she is just a little older than my children. This was all happening while I was happily sending my kids to school.
Tara and her siblings grew up with survivalist parents in the mountains of Idaho. Not only were they not educated in a school system, there was also no structured home school system nor did they ever see medical professionals. While Tara attempts to enter a difference world, the constant pull of family first holds her back in so many ways. This book immersed me in Tara’s world and at times I needed to set it aside to allow myself some emotional breathing room before I was ready to read some more.
The only thing I did not enjoy about the book is the cover. At first glance, and with the title, I assumed incorrectly that is was an education resource book.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Random House, and Dr Tara Westover for the opportunity to read and review this memoir - amazing.

This is a difficult book to read but an absolute amazing portrait of someone who was able to rise from the ashes of their family life and create a new, healthy life.

Tara was raised in Idaho by religious fanatical parents. They were Mormon but so far off from even that religion. The father did not believe in government interference of any kind - so no medical treatment, no public school, no birth certificates, driver's licenses, insurance - the list goes on. The mother was into homeopathic treatments - midwifery, essential oils - and had her own mind somewhere but still followed her husband's rules, including ignoring all of the abuse heaped on her and her sister by her brother.

This is a difficult book to read - the descriptions of the brother's abuse as well as what the father made his children do are not for the faint of heart. But what is amazing is that Tara is able to go on to get her PhD after never having set one foot in school!

I found myself so grateful to my parents for all the "normalness" I experienced - school, books, cleanliness. Amazing story!!

This memoir opened my eyes to an oft-unseen way of life. It was at times uncomfortable to get through but I think it's a necessary read nonetheless. It clearly emphasizes the importance of education and an open-minded approach to life, but it also demonstrates how complicated it can be to disentangle yourself from less-than-perfect situations - especially when they involve family that you love despite their flaws. I appreciated Tara’s viewpoint and courage in telling her story, and ultimately, it left me inspired. I think it would make an excellent book club choice.

A really intriguing memoir of growing up outside the system. After years of abuse and neglect, the author finally finds the strength to stand up to her father and attend college.

I have a tremendous respect for the courage it took Tara Westover to go against her "doomsday/conspiracy theorist" father who was a physical and psychological bully to her and the rest of her siblings and mother. This memoir was well-paced and easy to read. I'd definitely recommend this to readers who enjoyed memoirs like The Glass Castle.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-arc to review.

Where on earth did Tara find the strength and will to survive and grow as she did? I am sure it is true that some excel because of their background and some in spite of it. While I know not everyone could emerge as she did, her story will no doubt give encouragement and hope to others whose life may seem entirely hopeless. In time Tara was able to separate herself somewhat from her family physically. It was much harder for her to distance herself from them emotionally. Our parents have a very strong influence on us and Tara suffered with that, not being able even to tell others about her background. Therefore, she had no friends and no real relationships. She was not able to talk of her background for a long time. This is indeed a very powerful story!

This was a heartwarming story about a young girl who has a lot of courage and ambition. Tara Westover was one of seven children born into a very dysfunctional Morman family. The children were somewhat home schooled, but basically they were put to work by their father. They were made to work in very dangerous situations by their dad who was mentally unstable. Her mother, at the beginning was a little protective, but by the end of the book that had all changed. Tara realizes that in order to escape her life she has to go to college. So she studies for ACT and on her second try she gets a score to get her into Brigham Young University.

This book has all the ranges of emotions. At time you laugh at others you are sad and often I found myself angry at all of them. This girl worked hard and against overwhelming odds made an astonishing education for herself. This book is highly recommendable.

This is one of the best memoirs I have ever read. I felt so many emotions while reading this book from rage to hopelessness. This broke my heart in a million ways. I can’t imagine being so brave as Tara was to tell her story. There is so much in this book I feel like I will never forget.

This book wrecked me. Completely, absolutely wrecked me. I can't comprehend the child hood of Tara Westover nor can I fathom how she survived her child hood to live long enough to make it off Buck Peak. Buck Peak is the home of Tara, survivalist parents, and her physically intimidating brothers. This book is well written, the story is heart breaking, and this author is an amazing and brilliant survivor.

We are honored that Tara Westover shared her life with us.

Such a powerful book! I have always heard of these types of situations in the news or as fable, but to read a real account of such secludedness was eye opening. I really enjoyed the book, and it went by in a flash. Great read!