This book tells the amazing life story of Tara. I had to constantly remind myself that this was fact not fiction as the life that Tara lead with her survivalist family was so strange. Having grown up in a family where her parents believed that schools taught the devil's work and that Western style medicine was poisonous she was indeed lucky to make it through childhood.
The book follows recounts Tara's life from her unregistered birth to the educational heights she was able to climb through sheer grit and determination.
Thank you Random House Publishing, Netgalley and Tara Westover for the opportunity to read this incredible biography.

I DNF'd this at 30%. This doesn't mean that this was a bad book, it just wasn't for me. I am usually not interested in non-fiction novels, especially memoirs. I am trying to read more of them however, and heard a lot of hype for this book, so when I saw it on Netgalley I got it to try and read. It didn't click for me and at about 30% I just couldn't keep reading. Maybe I will try again in the future, but as of right now, I have no intentions to finish the book

[Thank to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the ebook!]

I am really bad about posting here, but life is so unpredictable this year that I can't even make myself feel guilty about it. Every week seems to bring new challenges and changes. But I am pushing on with reading and giving my best to write even a short review of the books I read.

I read #Educated, the story of Tara Westover's fight for education and enlightenment, in May, mostly on my way to Bonn for a job interview. I rarely read non-fiction and memoirs, but picking up this book was definitely the right decision as I was blown away by Westover's style. Especially the way she writes her childhood self, the child's voice, is masterful. There are few writers who are able to bring a child's perspective to the page like that.

I also feel it showed the struggle of reckoning with a family legacy that we may not agree with. How we try to mend fences and connections, give second, third, fourth chances to family members who may not have earned them, all in the hope of maintaining some imagined family bliss.

As many others have said this is a must-read book. As an additional perspective, you can find her brother's review/comment on Goodreads and Amazon, giving another angle on the events in the book.

Educated for me was hard to finish. I really don't like giving 2 star reviews, but I did for this book because I felt so many stories Tara Westover told were unbelievable. The chapters and stories seemed to skip around without much fluidity. It was definitely heartbreaking in places and maddening in others. I really wanted to love this book, but honestly, I had a really hard time finishing it.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What a memoir! I don’t know why I waited so long to read this.

This was such an emotional rollercoaster and I was completely drawn in to Tara’s shocking life. I was furious at moments and found it hard to believe the pain and torment she was willing to put up with, but of course no one on the outside can truly understand why. And after all, family is family.

Tara’s development throughout the years and her ultimate choice to denounce her father shows how truly strong she was, even when she was constantly being drawn back in.

This was an excellent read and I’ll definitely be recommending it.

Incredible. What a journey through a harrowing childhood and into young adulthood. Every time I thought things would settle for the author, Tara, another crisis jumped up to catch at my breath. A wonderful memoir examining, truth, gaslighting, religious doctrine, misogyny, and, of course, what knowledge is and whether it has the power to free someone from their past. A beautiful portrayal.

Educated by Tara Westover

Tara Westover’s memoir turned out to be so different than I had expected. It follows her through her childhood, growing up with survivalist parents in Idaho. When I first heard about it, I thought that it would mostly be about her finding education and then living her life wanting to continue to learn, which in a small sense it is, but there are so many other aspects of her story played in as well. There are many family struggles that are tied into this novel, as well as some very stark personal struggles. Tara Westover’s memoir is a must read to expand your world view and learn more about a community that many do not know.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-book.

Here's a fun fact about me: I am not really drawn to memoirs. I occasionally enjoy biographies of famous people of the past and historical figures, but memoirs have never really been my thing - in fact, I don't think I've ever read one before.

Tara Westover's memoir, however, might just be a personal turning point. It is completely and utterly mesmerizing. It is a book I struggled to put down. She did not only live an exceptional life, but is also an exceptional author, with a real knack for writing. Every single sentence was perfect, the narrative nearly flawless - she couldn't have written a more gripping story if she tried coming up with one. While I was reading, I often forgot this is a memoir, and not a completely fictitious account; the reality she described, the challenges she faced, and the obstacles she overcame were so numerous and so demanding (both physically and mentally) that, at times, the book was hard to read, especially when I remembered this is a true story.

I think what will truly stay with me will be Tara's drive and passion, how drawn she was to education. How she went from a girl who had never heard of the Holocaust to earning a PhD. A truly remarkable book written by a truly remarkable woman.

Although I like to read non fiction, I don’t read many autobiographical ones. I read this because of its popularity. This is a powerful memoir of the author’s life. What she describes about her life is unimaginable. But I couldn’t stop reading. She was raised by a family who lived a survivalist simple life and who did not believe in modern health care or formal education. I wanted, wished for there to be an end to the physical and emotional pain that she kept enduring. I was in awe with the strength she found to rise up and get a formal education and change her life. She removed herself from her family. But I can imagine to myself that she was torn by both her family bonds and unspoken obligations and her desire to escape. And that even then she would feel guilty by the twisted emotions even though she shouldn’t.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Tara Westover's memoir is an astounding look at growing up with a parent that is trying to cope with undiagnosed mental illness who thinks that the government is out to get them and the answer lies in extremist Mormonism.

She survived incredible situations to be able to get an education and grow.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommend.

I don’t usually read much nonfiction, but I really enjoyed this memoir. It was interesting and a little horrifying at parts to read about Tara’s childhood and things that she went through. The book gave a good glimpse into the way others live and was inspiring to see what all Tara was able to overcome. This book has motivated me to read other memoirs and I would definitely recommend Educated to others.

Tara Westover was the youngest child born into an extremely religious Mormon family. Her father ruled their household believing the government was evil, the world was coming to an end, and he alone knew the word of God. Nothing about her childhood was easy. She never went to school and her homeschooling consisted of working as a slave in her father's junkyard. Broken bones, horrific burns, and even severe accidents did not justify any kind of medical care. Her mother's salves and ointments were all that stood between debilitating injury or death.
Somehow, Tara and two of her brothers seek to become educated, and against all odds, they succeed. Tara first stepped into a classroom when she was seventeen, and for the next ten years, the push and pull between her old life and new life create unbearable tension. She goes back and forth between wanting nothing more than to be with her family and then understanding how wrong they are. Tara's self-doubt is debilitating, as her parents refuse to acknowledge many of the awful truths of her life.
The author is forthcoming with the fact that many of her memories may be flawed, but even if only half of her recollections are indeed true, it was still a harrowing life. Reading about how overwhelmed she was at college, not knowing a thing, I have to say that she must have been a genius because if that was me, I definitely would have flunked out. Some of her better memories from her childhood also seemed just a little suspect. Some of the things her parents let her do seem at odds with the way she was being brought up. Maybe she remembers the good times as being a little better than what they were, and the bad times being a little worse. Either way, it's a tragic tale that highlights the fact that you are at the mercy of your family as a child and the power of education.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It honestly was a lot better than I thought it was going to be . I heard different reviews so I went in optimistic and it paid off.

Okay so this book. This book is one of the best memoirs I have read in a long time.
I don’t even know how to put into words the fabulousness of this book. Everyone should read it.

How do you even begin to rate non fiction? This one though definitely deserves 5 stars without a doubt.

I felt for Tara and the life she had to endure.
I can’t even fathom how Tara Westover even survived her childhood even her teenage years.

I am so glad she found her bravery to stand up for what she believes in and escape the dysfunctional life her father has raised her in.

Tara is truly a fascinating person. To have had no schooling and still be able to pass the ACT and go to college. I mean to go to 3 different college including Cambridge and Harvard and earn her PhD is just truly amazing.

Everyone needs to read this book. This story needed to be told.

What a gripping book! Once I started it, I found I couldn't put it down until the end.

Powerful reading - a young woman's journey to finding the truth in herself and her worl.d
Harrowing in parts with the intense abuse and cruelty she lived through, and initially accepted as "normal". But throughout her "grittiness" shines through.

A real inspiration to anybody - you don't have to accept the circumstances you were born into - you can rise above them and become the person you deserve to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book.

A great book of how a young women educates herself and makes it into a good college and discovering things she never knew before.

I’ve heard good things about this book and it doesn’t disappoint. The story told from the perspective of a young girl growing up in a large family who is poor. Her family is devotedly religious and live off the grid. They view the government as the enemy and take the Bible literally. Their children aren’t formally educated as they help work the farm. The grandmother sees something in the girl, that she is capable of so much more if only she had the opportunity to learn. She offers her the chance to leave with them for Arizona, a chance to be more than she can be under her father’s care.

This is a touching story that really draws you in not only to the family’s plight but that of the little girl. This is an engaging story that keeps you waiting for what happens next.

Thank you to Penguin Random House, NetGalley, and the author for the review copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I expected Educated to be a memoir about how Tara used education to break away from her father’s beliefs. While education is the opportunity for Tara to escape, this is more of a memoir about abuse. This book was eye-opening. I am amazed by what Tara was able to accomplish, but there were times I had to put it down and come back to it later because of the content. I think Educated is worth reading, but a reader should be prepared for the content within this book.

This was an absolutely fascinating read! I don't normally read non-fiction but sometimes real life can be stranger than fiction, and that's the case with this book. Raised by Mormon survivalists, Tara Westover never spent a day in school until her first day of university. This was an amazing achievement for a girl who had to learn everything on her own. The story of her life is of horrendous abuse, and even so she loved her parents and wanted to believe the best of her family. I felt many different emotions while reading this book and I have nothing but the greatest respect for Tara Westover and her achievements in life; not only her academic achievements but also her emotional ones.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House through Netgalley for a review copy.

Wow, the things Tara went through were heartbreaking. I can't believe she grew up that way. This book dealt with mental health, abuse, family drama etc. I thought her determination to keep learning more even though she went most of her childhood barely learning anything is inspiring. She had a lot of will power to keep going despite her struggles. I received this copy from netgalley for a honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing.