Educated : A Memoir by Tara Westover (2018, Hardcover)

AlibrisBooks (455346)
98.5% positive feedback
Price:
US $6.19
ApproximatelyAU $9.54
+ $17.80 postage
Estimated delivery Mon, 30 Jun - Thu, 10 Jul
Returns:
30-day returns. Buyer pays for return postage. If you use an eBay postage label, it will be deducted from your refund amount.
Condition:
Brand new
New Hard cover

About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherRandom House Publishing Group
ISBN-100399590501
ISBN-139780399590504
eBay Product ID (ePID)237467024

Product Key Features

Book TitleEducated : a Memoir
Number of Pages352 Pages
LanguageEnglish
Publication Year2018
TopicWomen, Abuse / General, Sociology / General, Personal Memoirs, Religious, Student Life & Student Affairs, General, Homeschooling
GenreFamily & Relationships, Social Science, Education, Biography & Autobiography
AuthorTara Westover
FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height1.1 in
Item Weight20.8 Oz
Item Length9.5 in
Item Width6.5 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade
LCCN2017-037645
Dewey Edition23
Reviews"This remarkable memoir--one of the best I've ever read--is my kind of miracle. The book made me cringe, cry out, cover my eyes, shake with anger, beam with pride, and appreciate the trials that led to my own education. Tara's story will find a place alongside modern classic memoirs like Wild and The Glass Castle . It's that special." --Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter: Educated somehow contrives to be all these things at once. Tara Westover guides us through the extraordinary Western landscape of her coming of age, and in clear, tender prose makes us feel what she felt, growing up among fanatics. We give ourselves over to her telling, even when she takes us to the very darkest places a family can dwell. Rarely have I read a book that made me so uncomfortable, so enraged, and at the same time so utterly, entirely absorbed. I loved this book, and this woman." --Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble "Like The Glass Castle, Educated is a wise and deep reflection about surviving one's family. I bow down to Tara Westover, not only for her marvelous, sentence-by-sentence craftsmanship but also for making sense and meaning from a confounding and hair-raising childhood. This is memoir at its best." --Kelly Corrigan, author of The Middle Place "Tara is marvelous. There is no feeling like discovering a young writer springing up fully armed with so much talent." --Stephen Fry "Powerful, moving, brave in its revelation of profound humiliations, naked and completely at home in its form, Tara Westover's Educated gives us a home grown all-American monster--an armed fundamentalist mountain man who refuses his children birth certificates and won't let them attend school. This is his youngest daughter's memoir of how she grew into herself, learned to distinguish the smell that pervaded her home, the myths she was brought up on, and the danger she just barely eluded." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere But Here, " Educated shines a light on a part of our country that we too often overlook. Tara Westover's powerful tale--of trying to find a place for herself in the world, without losing her connection to her family or her beloved home--deserves to be widely read. My Mamaw would have been rooting for Tara." --J. D. Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy "This remarkable memoir--one of the best I've ever read--is my kind of miracle. The book made me cringe, cry out, cover my eyes, shake with anger, beam with pride, and appreciate the trials that led to my own education. Tara Westover's story will find a place alongside modern classic memoirs like Wild and The Glass Castle . It's that special." --Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire "Breathtaking, heart-wrenching, inspirational--I've never read anything like this. Educated tells the story of a young girl's escape from violence and emotional prison. It is about the love of family and the pain of family both, the ferocity of the human spirit, and the power of education to change lives. Educated is one of the best books, and Westover one of the most gifted writers, that I've read in a very long time." --Amy Chua, Yale law professor and author of Political Tribes and Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter: Educated somehow contrives to be all these things at once. Tara Westover guides us through the extraordinary western landscape of her coming of age, and in clear, tender prose makes us feel what she felt, growing up among fanatics. Rarely have I read a book that made me so uncomfortable, so enraged, and at the same time so utterly, entirely absorbed." --Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble " Educated is a wise and deep reflection about surviving one's family. This is memoir at its best." --Kelly Corrigan, author of The Middle Place "Marvelous . . . There is no feeling like discovering a young writer springing up fully armed with so much talent." --Stephen Fry "Powerful, moving, brave, naked, and completely at home in its form. This is a daughter's story of how she grew into herself and came to understand her home. This book would be far less harrowing if it were a novel." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere but Here, "This remarkable memoir--one of the best I've ever read--is my kind of miracle. The book made me cringe, cry out, cover my eyes, shake with anger, beam with pride, and appreciate the trials that led to my own education. Tara's story will find a place alongside modern classic memoirs, like Wild and The Glass Castle . It's that special." --Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness "Like The Glass Castle, Educated is a wise and deep reflection about surviving one's family. I bow down to Tara Westover, not only for her marvelous, sentence-by-sentence craftsmanship but also for making sense and meaning from a confounding and hair-raising childhood. This is memoir at its best." --Kelly Corrigan, author of The Middle Place "Tara is marvelous. There is no feeling like discovering a young writer springing up fully armed with so much talent." --Stephen Fry "An incredible memoir of triumph over seemingly endless adversity. The author's ability to write about her experiences in a clear-eyed, nonjudgmental way makes her story a pleasure to read. A study in the power and wonder of resilience." --Cea Sunrise Person, author of the bestselling North of Normal and Nearly Normal "Powerful, moving, brave in its revelation of profound humiliations, naked and completely at home in its form, Tara Westover's Educated gives us homegrown American originals who find their Mormon congregation too conventional and raise their children on a western mountain, refusing them birth certificates and not allowing them to attend school. This is a daughter's story of how she grew into herself and came to understand her home. This book would be far less harrowing if it were a novel." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere But Here "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter: Educated somehow contrives to be all these things at once. Tara Westover guides us through the extraordinary western landscape of her coming of age and in clear, tender prose makes us feel what she felt growing up among fanatics. We give ourselves over to her telling, even when she takes us to the very darkest places a family can dwell. Rarely have I read a book that made me so uncomfortable, so enraged, and at the same time so utterly, entirely absorbed. I loved this book, and this woman." --Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble, "Powerful, moving, brave in its revelation of profound humiliations, naked and completely at home in its form." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere But Here "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter: Educated somehow contrives to be all these things at once. Tara Westover guides us through the extraordinary western landscape of her coming of age and in clear, tender prose makes us feel what she felt growing up among fanatics. We give ourselves over to her telling, even when she takes us to the very darkest places a family can dwell. Rarely have I read a book that made me so uncomfortable, so enraged, and at the same time so utterly, entirely absorbed. I loved this book, and this woman." --Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble, "Powerful, moving, brave in its revelation of profound humiliations, naked and completely at home in its form, Tara Westover's Educated gives us homegrown American originals, who find their Mormon congregation too conventional, and raise their children on a western mountain, refusing them birth certificates and not allowing them to attend school. This is a daughter's story of how she grew into herself and comes to understand her home. This book would be far less harrowing if it were a novel." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere But Here "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter: Educated somehow contrives to be all these things at once. Tara Westover guides us through the extraordinary western landscape of her coming of age and in clear, tender prose makes us feel what she felt growing up among fanatics. We give ourselves over to her telling, even when she takes us to the very darkest places a family can dwell. Rarely have I read a book that made me so uncomfortable, so enraged, and at the same time so utterly, entirely absorbed. I loved this book, and this woman." --Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble, "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 "Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives." --Amy Chua, The New York Times Book Review "A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle." -- O: The Oprah Magazine "Westover's one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her." -- The Atlantic "Tara Westover is living proof that some people are flat-out, boots-always-laced-up indomitable. Her new book, Educated, is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life. . . . out of four." -- USA Today "[ Educated ] left me speechless with wonder. [Westover's] lyrical prose is mesmerizing, as is her personal story, growing up in a family in which girls were supposed to aspire only to become wives--and in which coveting an education was considered sinful. Her journey will surprise and inspire men and women alike." -- Refinery29 "Riveting . . . Westover brings readers deep into this world, a milieu usually hidden from outsiders. . . . Her story is remarkable, as each extreme anecdote described in tidy prose attests." --The Economist "A subtle, nuanced study of how dysfunction of any kind can be normalized even within the most conventional family structure, and of the damage such containment can do." -- Financial Times "Whether narrating scenes of fury and violence or evoking rural landscapes or tortured self-analysis, Westover writes with uncommon intelligence and grace. . . . One of the most improbable and fascinating journeys I've read in recent years." --Newsday, "A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle." -- O: The Oprah Magazine "Beautiful and propulsive . . . Despite its harrowing plot, [Tara] Westover's book is no misery memoir. . . . Her voice is so sui generis it feels in debt to no one. . . . And despite the singularity of her 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 "Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives." --Amy Chua, 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 "Westover's one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her." -- The Atlantic "If [J. D.] Vance's memoir offered street-heroin-grade drama, [Tara] Westover's is carfentanil, the stuff that tranquilizes elephants. The extremity of Westover's upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing. . . . By the end, 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 "Tara Westover is living proof that some people are flat-out, boots-always-laced-up indomitable. Her new book, Educated, is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life. . . . out of four." -- USA Today "[ Educated ] left me speechless with wonder. [Westover's] lyrical prose is mesmerizing, as is her personal story, growing up in a family in which girls were supposed to aspire only to become wives--and in which coveting an education was considered sinful. Her journey will surprise and inspire men and women alike." -- Refinery29 "Riveting . . . Westover brings readers deep into this world, a milieu usually hidden from outsiders. . . . Her story is remarkable, as each extreme anecdote described in tidy prose attests." --The Economist "Incredibly thought-provoking . . . so much more than a memoir about a woman who graduated college without a formal education. It is about a woman who must learn how to learn." -- The Harvard Crimson "A subtle, nuanced study of how dysfunction of any kind can be normalized even within the most conventional family structure, and of the damage such containment can do." -- Financial Times "Whether narrating scenes of fury and violence or evoking rural landscapes or tortured self-analysis, Westover writes with uncommon intelligence and grace. . . . One of the most improbable and fascinating journeys I've read in recent years." --Newsday, "A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle." -- O: The Oprah Magazine "Beautiful and propulsive . . . [Tara Westover's] voice is so sui generis it feels in debt to no one. . . . And despite the singularity of her 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 "An amazing story, and truly inspiring. The kind of book everyone will enjoy. It's even better than you've heard." --Bill Gates "Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives." --Amy Chua, 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 "Westover's one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her." -- The Atlantic "If [J. D.] Vance's memoir offered street-heroin-grade drama, [Tara] Westover's is carfentanil, the stuff that tranquilizes elephants. The extremity of Westover's upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing. . . . By the end, 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 "Tara Westover is living proof that some people are flat-out, boots-always-laced-up indomitable. Her new book, Educated, is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life. . . . out of four." -- USA Today "[ Educated ] left me speechless with wonder. [Westover's] lyrical prose is mesmerizing, as is her personal story, growing up in a family in which girls were supposed to aspire only to become wives--and in which coveting an education was considered sinful. Her journey will surprise and inspire men and women alike." -- Refinery29 "Riveting . . . Westover brings readers deep into this world, a milieu usually hidden from outsiders. . . . Her story is remarkable, as each extreme anecdote described in tidy prose attests." --The Economist "Incredibly thought-provoking . . . so much more than a memoir about a woman who graduated college without a formal education. It is about a woman who must learn how to learn." -- The Harvard Crimson "A subtle, nuanced study of how dysfunction of any kind can be normalized even within the most conventional family structure, and of the damage such containment can do." -- Financial Times "Whether narrating scenes of fury and violence or evoking rural landscapes or tortured self-analysis, Westover writes with uncommon intelligence and grace. . . . One of the most improbable and fascinating journeys I've read in recent years." --Newsday, Advance praise for Educated "Powerful, moving, brave in its revelation of profound humiliations naked and completely at home in its form." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere But Here "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter." --Claire Dederer, New York Times bestselling author of Love and Trouble, "Powerful, moving, brave in its revelation of profound humiliations, naked and completely at home in its form, Tara Westover's Educated gives us homegrown American originals who find their Mormon congregation too conventional and raise their children on a western mountain, refusing them birth certificates and not allowing them to attend school. This is a daughter's story of how she grew into herself and came to understand her home. This book would be far less harrowing if it were a novel." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere But Here "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter: Educated somehow contrives to be all these things at once. Tara Westover guides us through the extraordinary western landscape of her coming of age and in clear, tender prose makes us feel what she felt growing up among fanatics. We give ourselves over to her telling, even when she takes us to the very darkest places a family can dwell. Rarely have I read a book that made me so uncomfortable, so enraged, and at the same time so utterly, entirely absorbed. I loved this book, and this woman." --Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble, "If [J. D.] Vance's memoir offered street-heroin-grade drama, Westover's is carfentanil, the stuff that tranquilizes elephants. The extremity of Westover's upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing." -- 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 "Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives." --Amy Chua, The New York Times Book Review "A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle." -- O: The Oprah Magazine "Westover's one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her." -- The Atlantic "Tara Westover is living proof that some people are flat-out, boots-always-laced-up indomitable. Her new book, Educated, is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life. . . . out of four." -- USA Today "[ Educated ] left me speechless with wonder. [Westover's] lyrical prose is mesmerizing, as is her personal story, growing up in a family in which girls were supposed to aspire only to become wives--and in which coveting an education was considered sinful. Her journey will surprise and inspire men and women alike." -- Refinery29 "Riveting . . . Westover brings readers deep into this world, a milieu usually hidden from outsiders. . . . Her story is remarkable, as each extreme anecdote described in tidy prose attests." --The Economist "Incredibly thought-provoking . . . so much more than a memoir about a woman who graduated college without a formal education. It is about a woman who must learn how to learn." -- The Harvard Crimson "A subtle, nuanced study of how dysfunction of any kind can be normalized even within the most conventional family structure, and of the damage such containment can do." -- Financial Times "Whether narrating scenes of fury and violence or evoking rural landscapes or tortured self-analysis, Westover writes with uncommon intelligence and grace. . . . One of the most improbable and fascinating journeys I've read in recent years." --Newsday, " Educated shines a light on a part of our country that we too often overlook. Tara Westover's powerful tale--of trying to find a place for herself in the world, without losing her connection to her family or her beloved home--deserves to be widely read. My Mamaw would have been rooting for Tara." --J. D. Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy "This remarkable memoir--one of the best I've ever read--is my kind of miracle. The book made me cringe, cry out, cover my eyes, shake with anger, beam with pride, and appreciate the trials that led to my own education. Tara Westover's story will find a place alongside modern classic memoirs like Wild and The Glass Castle . It's that special." --Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire "Breathtaking, heart-wrenching, inspirational--I've never read anything like this. Educated is one of the best books, and Westover one of the most gifted writers, that I've read in a very long time." --Amy Chua, Yale law professor and author of Political Tribes and Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter . . . Rarely have I read a book that made me so uncomfortable, so enraged, and at the same time so utterly, entirely absorbed." --Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble " Educated is a wise and deep reflection about surviving one's family. This is memoir at its best." --Kelly Corrigan, author of The Middle Place "Marvelous . . . There is no feeling like discovering a young writer springing up fully armed with so much talent." --Stephen Fry "An unflinching account of love and brutality, of the strength of blood ties and the power of imagination, and of a young woman whose intellect, self-knowledge, and courage illuminate every page . . . There are passages so painfully vivid that they sear themselves into the memory." --Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent "Powerful, moving, brave, naked, and completely at home in its form. This is a daughter's story of how she grew into herself and came to understand her home." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere but Here "A memoir that is fit to stand alongside classics by the likes of Jeanette Winterson and Lorna Sage . . . a compelling and ultimately joyous account of self-determination." -- The Sunday Times (UK) "One of the best, most absorbing memoirs I've ever read." -- Stylist "Fiercely intelligent . . . a fascinating and compassionate view of another world." -- The Pool "An inspiring and important tale for our times." --Rebecca Stott, author of In the Days of Rain "Unflinching in confronting the cost of self-preservation, this book is beautiful in its bravery." --Imogen Hermes Gowar, author of The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock "A striking story, beautifully told. Tara Westover is an incredible talent." --Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of The Last Act of Love, "A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle." -- O: The Oprah Magazine "Propulsive . . . Despite the singularity of her 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 "Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives." --Amy Chua, The New York Times "Living proof that some people are flat-out, boots-always-laced-up indomitable . . . a heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life." -- USA Today "Westover's one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her." -- The Atlantic "Riveting . . . Westover brings readers deep into this world, a milieu usually hidden from outsiders. . . . Her story is remarkable, as each extreme anecdote described in tidy prose attests." --The Economist "If [J. D.] Vance's memoir offered street-heroin-grade drama, [Tara] Westover's is carfentanil, the stuff that tranquilizes elephants. The extremity of Westover's upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing. . . . By the end, 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 "Incredibly thought-provoking . . . so much more than a memoir about a woman who graduated college without a formal education. It is about a woman who must learn how to learn." -- The Harvard Crimson "A subtle, nuanced study of how dysfunction of any kind can be normalized even within the most conventional family structure, and of the damage such containment can do." -- Financial Times "Westover's extraordinary memoir is haunting in the best way, delivering a powerful coming-of-age saga." -- Paste "Whether narrating scenes of fury and violence or evoking rural landscapes or tortured self-analysis, Westover writes with uncommon intelligence and grace. . . . One of the most improbable and fascinating journeys I've read in recent years." --Newsday "This gripping coming-of-age story shows a woman's world being opened through education." --Refinery29 "Raw and unflinching . . . lyrical and literary." -- Library Journal "An astonishing account of deprivation, confusion, survival, and success." -- Kirkus Reviews "At its heart, her memoir is a family history: not just a tale of overcoming but an uncertain elegy to the life that she ultimately rejected. Westover manages both tenderness and a savage honesty that spares no one, not even herself." -- Booklist, "If [J. D.] Vance's memoir offered street-heroin-grade drama, Westover's is carfentanil, the stuff that tranquilizes elephants. The extremity of Westover's upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing." -- 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. The kind of book everyone will enjoy. It's even better than you've heard." --Bill Gates "Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives." --Amy Chua, The New York Times Book Review "A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle." -- O: The Oprah Magazine "Westover's one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her." -- The Atlantic "Tara Westover is living proof that some people are flat-out, boots-always-laced-up indomitable. Her new book, Educated, is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life. . . . out of four." -- USA Today "[ Educated ] left me speechless with wonder. [Westover's] lyrical prose is mesmerizing, as is her personal story, growing up in a family in which girls were supposed to aspire only to become wives--and in which coveting an education was considered sinful. Her journey will surprise and inspire men and women alike." -- Refinery29 "Riveting . . . Westover brings readers deep into this world, a milieu usually hidden from outsiders. . . . Her story is remarkable, as each extreme anecdote described in tidy prose attests." --The Economist "Incredibly thought-provoking . . . so much more than a memoir about a woman who graduated college without a formal education. It is about a woman who must learn how to learn." -- The Harvard Crimson "A subtle, nuanced study of how dysfunction of any kind can be normalized even within the most conventional family structure, and of the damage such containment can do." -- Financial Times "Whether narrating scenes of fury and violence or evoking rural landscapes or tortured self-analysis, Westover writes with uncommon intelligence and grace. . . . One of the most improbable and fascinating journeys I've read in recent years." --Newsday, "If [J. D.] Vance's memoir offered street-heroin-grade drama, [Tara] Westover's is carfentanil, the stuff that tranquilizes elephants. The extremity of Westover's upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing. . . . By the end, 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 "Living proof that some people are flat-out, boots-always-laced-up indomitable . . . a heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life." -- USA Today "Riveting . . . Westover brings readers deep into this world, a milieu usually hidden from outsiders. . . . Her story is remarkable, as each extreme anecdote described in tidy prose attests." --The Economist "A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle." -- O: The Oprah Magazine "Incredibly thought-provoking . . . so much more than a memoir about a woman who graduated college without a formal education. It is about a woman who must learn how to learn." -- The Harvard Crimson "Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives." --Amy Chua, The New York Times "Propulsive . . . Despite the singularity of her 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 "A subtle, nuanced study of how dysfunction of any kind can be normalized even within the most conventional family structure, and of the damage such containment can do." -- Financial Times "Westover's extraordinary memoir is haunting in the best way, delivering a powerful coming-of-age saga." -- Paste "Westover's one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her." -- The Atlantic "Whether narrating scenes of fury and violence or evoking rural landscapes or tortured self-analysis, Westover writes with uncommon intelligence and grace. . . . One of the most improbable and fascinating journeys I've read in recent years." --Newsday "This gripping coming-of-age story shows a woman's world being opened through education." --Refinery29 "Raw and unflinching . . . lyrical and literary." -- Library Journal "An astonishing account of deprivation, confusion, survival, and success." -- Kirkus Reviews "At its heart, her memoir is a family history: not just a tale of overcoming but an uncertain elegy to the life that she ultimately rejected. Westover manages both tenderness and a savage honesty that spares no one, not even herself." -- Booklist, "Powerful, moving, brave, naked and completely at home in its form, Tara Westover's Educated gives us homegrown American originals, who find their Mormon congregation too conventional, and raise their children on a western mountain, refusing them birth certificates and not allowing them to attend school. This is a daughter's story of how she grew into herself and comes to understand her home. This book would be far less harrowing if it were a novel." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere But Here "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter: Educated somehow contrives to be all these things at once. Tara Westover guides us through the extraordinary western landscape of her coming of age and in clear, tender prose makes us feel what she felt growing up among fanatics. We give ourselves over to her telling, even when she takes us to the very darkest places a family can dwell. Rarely have I read a book that made me so uncomfortable, so enraged, and at the same time so utterly, entirely absorbed. I loved this book, and this woman." --Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble, "A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle." -- O: The Oprah Magazine "Beautiful and propulsive . . . Despite its harrowing plot, [Tara] Westover's book is no misery memoir. . . . Her voice is so sui generis it feels in debt to no one. . . . And despite the singularity of her 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 "An amazing story, and truly inspiring. The kind of book everyone will enjoy. It's even better than you've heard." --Bill Gates "Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives." --Amy Chua, 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 "Westover's one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her." -- The Atlantic "If [J. D.] Vance's memoir offered street-heroin-grade drama, [Tara] Westover's is carfentanil, the stuff that tranquilizes elephants. The extremity of Westover's upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing. . . . By the end, 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 "Tara Westover is living proof that some people are flat-out, boots-always-laced-up indomitable. Her new book, Educated, is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life. . . . out of four." -- USA Today "[ Educated ] left me speechless with wonder. [Westover's] lyrical prose is mesmerizing, as is her personal story, growing up in a family in which girls were supposed to aspire only to become wives--and in which coveting an education was considered sinful. Her journey will surprise and inspire men and women alike." -- Refinery29 "Riveting . . . Westover brings readers deep into this world, a milieu usually hidden from outsiders. . . . Her story is remarkable, as each extreme anecdote described in tidy prose attests." --The Economist "Incredibly thought-provoking . . . so much more than a memoir about a woman who graduated college without a formal education. It is about a woman who must learn how to learn." -- The Harvard Crimson "A subtle, nuanced study of how dysfunction of any kind can be normalized even within the most conventional family structure, and of the damage such containment can do." -- Financial Times "Whether narrating scenes of fury and violence or evoking rural landscapes or tortured self-analysis, Westover writes with uncommon intelligence and grace. . . . One of the most improbable and fascinating journeys I've read in recent years." --Newsday, "If [J. D.] Vance's memoir offered street-heroin-grade drama, Westover's is carfentanil, the stuff that tranquilizes elephants. The extremity of Westover's upbringing emerges gradually through her telling, which only makes the telling more alluring and harrowing." -- 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 "Heart-wrenching . . . a beautiful testament to the power of education to open eyes and change lives." --Amy Chua, The New York Times Book Review "A coming-of-age memoir reminiscent of The Glass Castle." -- O: The Oprah Magazine "Westover's one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her." -- The Atlantic "Tara Westover is living proof that some people are flat-out, boots-always-laced-up indomitable. Her new book, Educated, is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, best-in-years memoir about striding beyond the limitations of birth and environment into a better life. . . . out of four." -- USA Today "[ Educated ] left me speechless with wonder. [Westover's] lyrical prose is mesmerizing, as is her personal story, growing up in a family in which girls were supposed to aspire only to become wives--and in which coveting an education was considered sinful. Her journey will surprise and inspire men and women alike." -- Refinery29 "Riveting . . . Westover brings readers deep into this world, a milieu usually hidden from outsiders. . . . Her story is remarkable, as each extreme anecdote described in tidy prose attests." --The Economist "A subtle, nuanced study of how dysfunction of any kind can be normalized even within the most conventional family structure, and of the damage such containment can do." -- Financial Times "Whether narrating scenes of fury and violence or evoking rural landscapes or tortured self-analysis, Westover writes with uncommon intelligence and grace. . . . One of the most improbable and fascinating journeys I've read in recent years." --Newsday, "This remarkable memoir--one of the best I've ever read--is my kind of miracle. The book made me cringe, cry out, cover my eyes, shake with anger, beam with pride, and appreciate the trials that led to my own education. Tara Westover's story will find a place alongside modern classic memoirs like Wild and The Glass Castle . It's that special." --Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire "Breathtaking, heart-wrenching, inspirational--I've never read anything like this. Educated tells the story of a young girl's escape from violence and emotional prison. It is about the love of family and the pain of family both, the ferocity of the human spirit, and the power of education to change lives. Educated is one of the best books, and Westover one of the most gifted writers, that I've read in a very long time." --Amy Chua, Yale law professor and author of Political Tribes and Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother "A punch to the gut, a slow burn, a savage indictment, a love letter: Educated somehow contrives to be all these things at once. Tara Westover guides us through the extraordinary Western landscape of her coming of age, and in clear, tender prose makes us feel what she felt, growing up among fanatics. We give ourselves over to her telling, even when she takes us to the very darkest places a family can dwell. Rarely have I read a book that made me so uncomfortable, so enraged, and at the same time so utterly, entirely absorbed. I loved this book, and this woman." --Claire Dederer, author of Love and Trouble "Like The Glass Castle, Educated is a wise and deep reflection about surviving one's family. I bow down to Tara Westover, not only for her marvelous, sentence-by-sentence craftsmanship but also for making sense and meaning from a confounding and hair-raising childhood. This is memoir at its best." --Kelly Corrigan, author of The Middle Place "Tara is marvelous. There is no feeling like discovering a young writer springing up fully armed with so much talent." --Stephen Fry "Powerful, moving, brave, naked, and completely at home in its form, Tara Westover's Educated gives us homegrown American originals who find their Mormon congregation too conventional and raise their children on a western mountain, refusing them birth certificates and not allowing them to attend school. This is a daughter's story of how she grew into herself and came to understand her home. This book would be far less harrowing if it were a novel." --Mona Simpson, author of Casebook and Anywhere but Here
Dewey Decimal270.092 B
Synopsis#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 * A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF THE CENTURY * 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, #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, #1 NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND BOSTON GLOBE BESTSELLER - 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 FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE'S AWARD IN AUTOBIOGRAPHY - FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE'S JOHN LEONARD PRIZE FOR BEST FIRST BOOK - FINALIST FOR THE PEN/JEAN STEIN BOOK AWARD - FINALIST FOR THE LOS ANGELES BOOK PRIZE NAMED ONE OF PASTE ' S BEST MEMOIRS OF THE DECADE - NAMED 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 - BookRiot - Pamela Paul, KQED - New York Public Library An unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University 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 Tara 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 "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
LC Classification NumberCT3262.I2W47 2018

All listings for this product

Auction & Buy It Now
Auction
Buy It Now
Any condition
New
Pre-owned

Ratings and reviews

4.7
111 product ratings
  • 94 users rated this 5 out of 5 stars
  • 10 users rated this 4 out of 5 stars
  • 2 users rated this 3 out of 5 stars
  • 2 users rated this 2 out of 5 stars
  • 3 users rated this 1 out of 5 stars

Would recommend

Good value

Compelling content

Most relevant reviews

  • Top favourable review

    Living with a backward religious zealot for a father.

    Insights into the life of a fanatical Mormon and his family. He’s not typical of LDS (Mormon) people, but he fully believes in the Book of Mormon and the Bible. It’s incredible how backward and paranoid one becomes when they take their scriptures seriously. I bought it on the recommendation of a friend, who grew up in a similar family. She said Educated parallels her life growing up in her zealous family. It’s often heartbreaking.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • Top critical review

    wow, what a read!! still not sure what to think, a bit troublesome to me, not use to this kind of read

    the read was a bit troublesome to me, not sure why?? so much mental abuse, not sure this is the type of read for me, new to the book club issues so it could be great to some,

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: New

  • My favorite book ever

    This may be my favorite book ever. I went through incredibly similar experiences as the author, and this book made me feel less alone in my struggles. The book is gut wrenching and incredibly well told. I would recommend it to anyone with a history of religious trauma, or anyone who loves someone that does.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • A memoir of taking control of her life and the transformation that followed

    This is an incredibly moving memoir of the transformation of an intelligent and self motivated woman. She does not treat her early years in a survivalist household as terrible, but shows how attached she was and secure in the family and environment. She went out into a world that she knew little if anything about, and the descriptions of facing simple daily living in the outside world and the exposure to people and ideas is inspiring. A must read.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: New

  • Cant say enough good things about the book, and the author for her courage and achievements.

    Such an amazing tribute to a seemingly doomed underdog, who, through perseverence, and sometimes blind courage, with a little help from some friends (who she was not raised to trust in) came out on top of her world. Written in a personal style to be respected and honored. Everyone should read this to see what can be accomplished with guts and determination

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: New

  • Good Book

    I purchased this book for a book club and it is an easy book to read and a real eye opener to how people are raised in different conditions. I think it is surprising because it is in the United States and yet this family not only didn’t send their children to school but also very minimal homeschooling either. Some of the medical issues are most surprising to me.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • One of the best memoirs on the shelf

    It always seems kind of pointless to try to add the mountains of praise heaped on books like Educated. Having arrived late to the party, I did not realize what a sensation this memoir is in the literary community. Therefore I was not adequately prepared to be so fascinated by three distinct aspects of this particularly engaging story. First, I was enthralled with the inner workings of devout Mormon fundamentalist families, even the especially unique survivalist ones. Having had the opportunity to visit extensively with local LDS missionaries on dozens of occasions (I live one block away from the local Mormon congregation), I have developed a tremendous admiration and affection for the Mormon people, even as my estimation of LDS doctrine and theology has devolved. Second, I read with great enthusiasm this story of a young girl who discovers an entire world (literally) through the gift of education, a blessing that had been denied her for most of her childhood. What a joy it is to read of someone who miraculously discovers the gift of learning and flourishes beyond the wildest imaginings of anyone in her family. Third, I am struck with dichotomy present in the divide between educated and uneducated people in contemporary American culture. The misunderstanding, distrust, and contempt that is present between those with an access to education and those without is portrayed with astonishing clarity in this amazing story. Educated calls all to bridge that gap and find a way to communicate with each other, regardless of our exposure to the ideals of higher learning (see also: Heartland, by Sarah Smarsh). There is a good possibility I will always think of Educated as one of the best books I've read.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: New

  • Amazing book at a great price

    The book was in near perfect condition. Tara Westover’s memoir is such an interesting story. I couldn’t put the book down and finished it in a couple days. I can’t stop telling my friends and family about Tara’s extraordinary life and accomplishments. I even convinced my grandmother to read it!

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned

  • Compelling memoir

    Great read and I am engrossed in this story of the author's off the grid childhood to her earning of a PhD.

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: New

  • The title says it all.

    Actually, I felt this book was very disturbing. Although it was well written, I was uncomfortable reading it. Especially the later parts. Just sayin'

    Verified purchase: YesCondition: New