#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?”—VogueNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY 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 LibraryTitle: Educated: A Memoir
Author: Tara Westover
Genre: Memoir
Synopsis:
In "Educated: A Memoir," Tara Westover recounts her extraordinary upbringing in rural Idaho, where she was raised by survivalist parents who distrusted the government and kept her and her siblings isolated from the outside world. Denied a formal education, Westover taught herself to read and write, eventually earning a PhD from Cambridge University. Her memoir is a powerful story of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of education.
Key Themes:
- The importance of education
- The power of resilience
- The challenges of growing up in a fundamentalist family
- The importance of questioning authority
- The transformative power of literature
Critical Reception:
"Educated" has received widespread critical acclaim, with many reviewers praising Westover's honesty, courage, and writing skills. The book has been named one of the best books of the year by numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time magazine. It has also been translated into over 40 languages.
Awards and Honors:
- National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography (2018)
- PEN America Award for Creative Nonfiction (2018)
- Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography (2019)
- Audie Award for Best Female Narrator (2019)
Cultural Impact:
"Educated" has had a significant cultural impact, sparking conversations about the importance of education, the challenges faced by people who grow up in fundamentalist families, and the power of literature to transform lives. The book has also been praised for its insights into the political and social divisions that are currently dividing the United States.
