Educated by Tara Westover is a deeply moving memoir that explores the complexities of family, identity, and the pursuit of knowledge. Westover recounts her childhood growing up in a strict, survivalist family in rural Idaho, where formal education was seen as unnecessary and even dangerous. Isolated from society, Tara’s early years were shaped by her father’s rigid beliefs and her mother’s role as a herbalist and midwife. Despite these limitations, Tara developed a thirst for education, eventually leaving her family and attending Brigham Young University at the age of 17.

The memoir is a powerful reflection on the tension between loyalty to one’s roots and the desire for personal growth. Westover’s journey from ignorance to higher learning is both inspiring and heartbreaking, as she grapples with the trauma of her upbringing, the complexities of family loyalty, and the challenges of reconciling her past with her new identity. Through vivid storytelling, Westover reveals the deep emotional cost of breaking away from her upbringing, but also the transformative power of education.

Westover’s writing is evocative and honest, capturing the emotional turmoil of navigating the boundaries between familial duty and self-liberation. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the life-changing potential of education. It is both an exploration of the intellectual awakening of a young woman and a poignant meditation on the consequences of growing up in a world where truth is subjective and education is seen as a threat.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this memoir and highly recommend it!