Educated

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At seventeen, Tara Westover entered a classroom for the first time, having been raised by survivalists in Idaho. Her childhood was spent preparing for an apocalyptic future, gathering supplies, and assisting her mother, a midwife, while salvaging metal in her father's junkyard. Distrustful of the medical system, her family treated injuries at home with herbal remedies. Isolated from society, the children lacked formal education, and there was no intervention when violence erupted among siblings. However, when an older brother returned from college with stories of the outside world, Tara felt compelled to change her life. She self-studied mathematics, grammar, and science to take the ACT, gaining admission to Brigham Young University. There, she delved into psychology, politics, philosophy, and history, learning about significant events like the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement for the first time. This pursuit of knowledge took her across oceans to prestigious institutions like Harvard and Cambridge, prompting her to question if she had ventured too far from home. The narrative explores her struggle for self-invention, the complexities of family loyalty, and the pain of severing close ties. Westover's poignant account serves as a universal coming-of-age story, highlighting the transformative power of education and the new perspectives it can provide.