Tara Westover turned her isolated childhood into a novel.
Tara Westover is a woman who grew up in a Mormon community in Idaho and wrote a memoir called Educated.Her parents are suspicious of the government because she and her siblings were all born at home.Her father thought that Y2K would be a sign of the Second Coming and that public education standards were just brainwashing.
There are three parts to the story.She describes her childhood.Westover describes her father's radicalization and the many serious injuries that her family members refuse to get treatment for.
In the second part, Westover goes to college.She describes the culture shock of being confused about what the Holocaust was, and she struggles through her first romantic relationship.Westover goes to Cambridge for her PhD, tries to confront her family about their issues, and brings us up to date with her life now.
Tara Westover doesn't have a birth certificate, medical records, or anything else.She and her siblings were raised on a mountaintop.
Her family is Mormon and her father is a survivalist.He believes in self-sufficiency.The neighbors were attacked by the government.Her mother is the town's midwife, a practice that is illegal in Idaho.Tara believes that Faye married Gene because she was against it.
Tara and her sibling don't have a lot of things.After a serious accident when she moved to Idaho, she doesn't receive medical treatment, and she has chronic headaches.Tyler ends up going to college even though Gene is against it.Tara thinks she needs to go as well.
Tara remembers an incident where her brother got burned, but the family's recollection of what happened is different.There are discrepancies among her family about what happened when she was a child.Gene is depressed when nothing happens when Y2K approaches.
Shawn can be mean, controlling, physically and emotionally abusive, and he can also be a good brother to Tara.Tara is encouraged to go to college by Tyler.Tara wants to change her life.She is accepted into the school.Her father is dangerous and against it.Her mother tries to encourage her.
Tara settles into her new life at BYU.She is far behind the other students in school and experiences culture shock.When Tara returns home for the summer, she starts hanging out with a boy from town, Charles, and starts to see her previous life as being a little backwards.She has become "uppity" and called her names, according to Gene and Shawn.Tara gets a headaches, Charles gives her something to drink, and Tara is shocked to find that the medicine she's used for home remedies actually works.
Her friends have to help her with her personal hygiene because she's stressed from financial and academic pressures.Charles breaks things off with her when he sees the hostile environment at her home.Tara is supported by the church Bishop at school.He encourages her to apply for a grant.
Tara realized during an introductory psychology course that Gene has a mental illness.She learns the truth from a child.Gene believed that the government attacked the family because of their beliefs.Gene gets into a bad accident and the family cares for him for weeks.It strengthens their belief that traditional medical treatment is not necessary.
Tara is going to study at Cambridge.Her professor encourages her to believe in herself.She will pursue a Master's Degree at Cambridge when she graduates.After more culture shock, Tara finally feels like she's fitting in at Cambridge.She tried to confront her family about Shawn's behavior.They discuss Shawn's abusive behavior, but it leads to more angry and violent behavior from Shawn.Tara talks to her father who refuses to believe her, and Faye tries to convince her that her memories are wrong.Shawn says he's cutting Tara out of his life, and soon he andAudrey will both be done with Tara.
Tara walks out after telling them goodbye.Tara is able to get back on track when Tyler supports her.Tara is getting her PhD.Tara does not reconcile with her parents in the final chapter.
Tara reflected on her fractured family at the end of the book.Tara sits apart from the mourners at the funeral of her friend's mother.Shawn didn't look at Tara during the service.The last time Tara saw her parents was at the funeral.
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Despite being released over a year ago, Tara Westover's Educated is still one of the top selling books of this year.Thanks to Bill Gate and Ellen Degeneres, I put it on my to-read list.
The mother of Tara Westover has written a book in response to Educated.She is funding it on the internet.
Westover had an episode from his childhood.She is young.The Weavers, a nearby family, have been under siege and shot at by the government for being "freedom fighters", resulting in the deaths of the mom and a 14-year-old boy.The Weavers were in a raid and found illegal weapons.It is a formative experience, marking the point where her father starts to transform into a radicalized survivalist, and Westover wonders in the book a few times what he would have been like if she had known him before that.
According to Westover, four of his parents' seven children don't have birth certificates.We have never seen a doctor or nurse because we were born at home.We don't have school records because we've never set foot in a classroom.
The book is fascinating on many levels.It is a personal journey for Westover.Westover went from getting very little education to getting a PhD.
It is a unique story.Westover has experiences that make for a unique perspective.
It is interesting to consider how her perspective is shaped by memory and perspective.
I wondered if the event she describes in the first chapter was as dramatic as she believes, or if it was heightened by being told about it at a young age and slowly building a mythos out of it.If no one had ever described the scene to her, how would she view her father?
I would not have picked Educated if it weren't for its popularity.It is not a topic I am particularly interested in.Even if it did drag in a few parts, the story was compelling enough that I was invested in it.
I felt like Westover wrote this book too soon.It seems like the story we are reading is the one she constructed to make sense of everything that happened to her, but I think she still has a long way to go.
There are parts of the book that are too neat and tidy to be the whole story.She replies "I love you" when her father gives her a blessing.I can not.He apologized and walked out of the room.It feels like a made-for-TV movie.
Things are unresolved with her family when the book is over.Even if they made some big mistakes, I would be surprised if their story ends there.
There are many comparisons of Educated with J.D.The books are fairly different.Hillbilly Elegy is a political book that tries to explain the economic conditions impacting white working-class Appalachian communities.Westover's memoir is not meant to be a representation of Trump voters or her Mormon community in Southern Idaho.
Westover's father has more radical views than most in the religious community.He firmly believes that women shouldn't work, and he's a survivalist and paranoid about potential attacks from the government.Westover thinks he has a personality disorder.
It is not a book I would have chosen for myself, but I am glad I gave it a try.It didn't live up to the hype, but I think I got something out of her story.
The mother of Tara Westover has written a book in response to Educated.She is funding it on the internet.
I went through a lot of the comments that her family has made about her.Westover's family members have been vocal about their disagreement with some parts of the book.Westover acknowledges the question marks in her memories, and it seems like they mostly take issue with the overall portrayal as opposed to disputing specific facts.
It seems like her family members are not like the ones she makes them out to be.At one point in the book, her mom has to force her dad to install a phone line.They run a business and are active on Facebook.Her mom makes comments on the book.
In the book, Tara gives many of her family names, but in reality her parents are Val and LaRee Westover.The nickname is "Shawn".They are referred to by their actual names in the book.Her mother and sister run an essential oils business together.It has a number of social media accounts.They have a book about essential oils.The lawyer for the family claims it has 30 employees, multiple facilities and uses an automated assembly line.
Tyler, or at least someone claiming to be him, has come out with extensive comments that don't seem to contradict the book.The PDF version of the story seems to corroborate large parts of it.The profile on his university's website corroborates the spotty education they received as kids: "Westover said he is probably the only ISU masters-level chemist who had to start with a beginning math course."
Richard Westover responded to the book in the comments of one of the articles.
The relationship between my sister and my parents is more complicated than this article or the book can portray.Tara is doing the best she can with what she knows and I give her credit for that.People should suspend judgement while reading a book or an article.
I have read both and lived through them, so I wouldn't consider myself in possesion of the facts to pass judgement.To you, it is a book that is cheap to rant about.It is my life and I am still living it.I still call my parents every week when Tara comes to my house.
It seems sad that many people have taken that as an invitation to harass her family, since they seem to want to share their side of the story.They are responding to a story about themselves.John Oliver did a great piece.He talks about how useful it is, but also how it can be abused.I hope no one reads this book and thinks that the main message is "I need to go harass these private citizens and people I don't know right now."
I agree with you that there will probably be more to the story.It was a thorough review.
I can see why people liked it so much, I think I had unrealistic expectations when I read it, thanks for dropping by!
There was a great review of the book.I appreciated that Westover was open about the possibility that the two might not be the same for her, as the book treads an often invisible line of reporting memories versus reporting facts.I think the importance of not writing people off as lost causes simply because they are ignorant is something we can all learn from the book.Even if you didn't like her story, I'm glad you found some value in it.It is easy to be disappointed by the hype.
Thank you, Veronica!She is open about admitting that she only remembers what happened.Yes!There are a lot of valuable lessons to be learned from her story.People are reading it.In certain parts of the book, I knew where the story was going.I got a bit bored once I had a better idea of what was going on.I had crazy expectations with all the hype.I would like to thank you for your insightful comments.
Great review.You dug into the background.You made some good points about how quickly this was written.It takes some time to understand our past.
I heard about it.I have to gear myself up for it because I fear it will break my heart before I get to the end.A well-written piece of writing.The author should see your post.
Great review!I have been wanting to read this book for a long time, but always end up choosing something else.
There is a crazy wait for this book.I feel like I have been waiting for a long time.I like stories about people who grow up in strange situations, so I think I will like this one.Great review!
I think you should read it if that interests you.Thanks for stopping by!I hope you get off the waiting list soon.That's right.
Excellent review!I was curious enough to give it a try after reading your review.
Are there Hillbilly Elegy novels?I thought they were memoirs.People try to find out if it is true or not.If it is a novel, just take it as a story.
The story has something for everyone.I felt she told her story in a way that would benefit her family.The abusive factors, the dangers inherent in the working situations she experienced as a child, only added to our insights into these relationships.The best scene in the book is when Tara is on the rooftop with her professor and her classmates.Anyone would be scared by the wind.Tara is standing on the edge of the roof without fear.A professor watches as her classmates huddle together in the middle of the roof, bent forward and facing sideways, so the wind won't sweep them away.Tara stands like a superman in front of the other girls.
A larger story of a life filled with unique experiences that might bring anyone to their knees is woven together by her stories.She shows all of us that we can be supermen if we stick to it and really try.Tara, thank you for sharing your strength and love.The book is beautiful.
I was happy with your review until you said that the crazy Westover's beliefs were firmly in Trumpland.Really?What does the average Trump supporter think about their views?You have no idea.
I wrote in the review that their family is located in Trumpland, which is a place where people generally support Trump, but their beliefs are not representative and are considered extreme for their community.
I was upset with the people in Preston.Why didn't they help her and what about "Shawn"?Everyone knows everyone's business in Preston, a small town.I was raised in several small towns in southern Idaho.I like Tara because of what she has down with her life.
I relate to the book in one way or another.No one else would have given me a chance like I did.When I listen to her interviews, I am even more impressed.I have been in this position for my entire life.I know good people on both sides of the country and we desperately need intelligent people like Tara to bring reason to our crumbling society.
I agree with her.It's a kind of racism to label an area of the country as Trumpland.It's not the most common kind, but it still shows ignorantness.Important things have been done in our country by Trump.Do your research.
After it came out, I read this a few years ago.I pre-ordered her mother's side of the story because she is about to release it.I own a book by LaRee and buy her products on a regular basis.Even if her father is insane, her mother is incredible.Tara and LaRee both have new books.This review is better than most of the reviews I have read and watched.Thank you for that.Most readers can't see what the book is about.It's not about Mormonism or natural medicine at all.It's about mental illness and abuse.Her focus on being off the grid, Mormon, and unschooled takes away from the real story.All of the interviews I have watched focus on the fact that she was born at home, unschooled, and never went to the doctor, yet no one has done enough research before an interview to name it.Many families practice natural medicine and don't need to go to school.I practice natural medicine and am a Mormon.We are self employed and live in Idaho.Many of my friends choose the same lifestyle.My children are very confident, know they are loved, and have been free from the pressures of school.We have one college graduate so far.We are free from the constraints of the mainstream and have a great life.She generalizes the movements she attacks.Her interviews make me want to vomit.She focuses on the lack of education in the book, ignoring the horrible parts of her life.Her unschooling and being un-vaxed had nothing to do with her trauma.Thanks for seeing the book and focusing on the trauma.
I just finished Educated and it was great.It's hard to believe that some children have to live through this.Tara has done a great job raising and educating herself.Jeanette Walls was from the Glass Castle.Excellent review.
Your review was spot on, I just finished the book.I didn't think I'd get into it the way I did, but it held my interest.