Educated

A Memoir

By: Tara Westover

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

#1 NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND BOSTON GLOBE BESTSELLER • One of the most acclaimed books of our time: an unforgettable memoir about a young woman who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University

“Extraordinary . . . an act of courage and self-invention.”—The New York Times

NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW • ONE OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA’S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR • BILL GATES’S HOLIDAY READING LIST • FINALIST: National Book Critics Circle’s Award In Autobiography and John Leonard Prize For Best First Book • PEN/Jean Stein Book Award • Los Angeles Times Book Prize

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.

“Beautiful and propulsive . . . Despite the singularity of [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

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, O: The Oprah Magazine, Time, NPR, Good Morning America, San Francisco Chronicle, The Guardian, The Economist, Financial Times, Newsday, New York Post, theSkimm, Refinery29, Bloomberg, Self, Real Simple, Town & Country, Bustle, Paste, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, LibraryReads, Book Riot, Pamela Paul, KQED, New York Public Library

©2018 Tara Westover (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“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

“Westover is a keen and honest guide to the difficulties of filial love, and to the enchantment of embracing a life of the mind.”—The New Yorker

“An amazing story, and truly inspiring. It’s even better than you’ve heard.”—Bill Gates

Extraordinary, gripping, and very harrowing

I recommend this book very strongly, but not for the faint of heart. This is a journey unlike any i have read before. It was entirely captivating, but also like a horrible an accident that you can’t take your eyes off. Family ties and extreme family abuse come packaged together. The author escapes eventually but the price she pays is almost impossible to toll. A very hard life leads to some very hard truths.
It’s very well written and really generous to her family’s extremism, although I’m sure they (mostly) don’t see it that way. Thank you Tara westover!

Couldn’t stop listening

Such a great book! Heartfelt, thoughtful and extremely well written. I have recommended it to all my friends.

Wow!

Westover's enlightenment is told in a heartwrenching yet eloquent fashion. Outstanding narration. I listened to this in just a few days.

educated

As a former mormon I really identified with this story. Although, her upbringing was way outside of the norm, and not representative of Mormons on the whole, I could see reflections of her experience in my own life. I loved seeing Tara triumph despite all of the obstacles in her way

Amazing

I can’t say enough about this book! It was wonderful! Having been raised Mormon myself, I could relate to her in so many ways. The indoctrination that starts at such an early age in that religion and then to have crazy fanatical parents on top of that, holy CRAP!
The book was amazing and insightful and should be read in every classroom in the America to show that we can all overcome !

A hard listen for me

What this dear little girl had to endure while growing up was too terrible. Can’t believe anyone could live as these parents, dragging 7 children through life as they did and all in the name of God. Nothing about them was Godly. This is NOT Mormonism.

Powerful

Powerful memoir. She works hard to be accurate with the facts, yet authentic to her own memory and experiences. The theme of trusting oneself and the way you understand your own history is a thread throughout the book; similarly, it becomes an important lesson in her journey that parallels her growth.

Her story is so many things: one driven by diabolical religious rhetoric and conspiracy theory, and a very sad, incredibly lonely youth full of loss. But in the telling of it she weaves kindness, forgiveness, self-deprecating awareness, and fortitude.

I get a deep sense that she avoids criticism of religious extremism, she’s almost painting it with a careful optimism and acceptance. Perhaps this is because culturally it’s ingrained in her to respect her religious upbringing. I found it hard to get past this at times. The historical facts of her parents treatment and beliefs are indisputably indefensible, yet for most of the book she’s only willing to go so far in saying as much.

I highly recommend this book. She’s a wonderful writer.

I’m recommending this book to everyone!!

Amazing! I wanted to cry and just hug Tara throughout her story. What an incredible , strong woman. I loved that she vilifies no one and tells her story with love, trying so hard to understand the impossible to understand. Her life is entirely unimaginable to me and probably to all who read about it. Her experiences will stay with me for a long time.

WOW

This was a very good book. I am going to submit as a read for our book club. There are so many discussion points. This young woman's journey through a very controlling dangerous life and her sucesses, failures, new beginnings, and becoming aware. Fantastic book

Mesmerizing

The story itself is riveting. The writing clear and compelling. The depth of understanding tragic and aware. I loved it!