Educated: Tara Westover's journey from Idaho to Cambridge
- Zonaira Chaudry
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 14
Breaking boundaries for an education. Breaking boundaries for basic human rights.
Tara Westover's memoir, Educated, isn't just a book; it's a lesson in resilience, self-invention, and triumphing against all odds. The protagonist, the youngest daughter of a survivalist Mormon family, leaves her hometown to pursue an education, against her family's wishes. As she navigates the outside world, she confronts a stark contrast to her life back home.
The memoir found its way onto The New York Times Bestseller list. It was also regarded as one of the 10 best books of 2018, and was included on the reading lists of Bill Gates, Barack Obama, and Oprah Winfrey.
The perils of unconventional values
The book opens with a memory from the author's childhood, where she reflects on her upbringing in a survivalist family in Idaho. Raised in a conservative Mormon household, she is the youngest of seven siblings.
As the book progresses, we learn about her father's controversial views on the government and how he prepares his family for the end of the world by stocking up on food supplies and petrol. His distrust of medical facilities meant treating even major injuries such as concussions and explosive burns at home with herbal remedies.
Westover works at her father's junkyard during her teenage years and faces constant dangers due to a blatant disregard for safety measures. Her mother is a healer and a midwife, whom Westover often helps steeping herbs.
She and her siblings never receive a formal education and are homeschooled by their mother. In fact, she doesn't own a birth certificate until the age of nine. The ignorance in the family worsens as she becomes the subject of physical abuse. Her older sibling becomes violent, abusing her verbally, physically, and mentally. Unfortunately, these incidents are brushed under the carpet, with no parental intervention.
When her older brother moves away to college, the author decides to follow the same path. Ambition running in her veins, she teaches herself algebra and grammar to pass the ACTs. Alas, her hard work pays off, and she is admitted to Brigham Young University.
Identity struggles
At 17, Westover steps into a classroom for the very first time. She studies subjects like History and learns about important events like the Civil Rights Movement and the Holocaust. Her thirst for knowledge leads her to a study abroad program at the prestigious University of Cambridge.
After gaining access to world class education, the author can’t help but constantly question her unconventional family beliefs and upbringing—she wonders how don’t they comprehend the value of studying in a classroom and participating in student discourse.
Studying at Cambridge, she realises the value of being on campus, meeting new people and understanding different cultures—a sense of freedom she has struggled to find all her life.
Being a part of both worlds is tough—her former life in Buck's Peak and her newly formed life in the classrooms of Cambridge and Harvard. Outgrowing her roots is not easy for her. At times, she feels that the world outside seems more difficult to live in but the memories of her tough childhood give her the strength to seek more and keep going ahead, though not without causing a deep internal conflict.
While finding immense value in her educational facilities at Cambridge, she stands a living testimony to her father's philosophy that you could teach yourself anything. Her world perspective is entirely shaped by her father's views. The story evolves into a more compelling narrative with the author’s cerebral development, forming her own opinions and becoming more aware. Contrary to her father’s belief system, she begins to view the world through a completely different lens.
Educated–an emotionally moving account
Westover’s first book is a coming-of-age story that will give you insight into the hardships of getting educated and being able to view yourself in a new light. She attempts to narrate an unbiased account of events, adding footnotes wherever necessary to give authenticity.
The memoir shares elements of courage, loyalty, and strength, but also the heartache and agony that come with cutting all ties with your family. Masterfully capturing the attainment of self-discovery through her words, this is a raw, heartbreaking, and emotional personal account of what it takes to be educated.
The book has been translated into 45 languages. It invites you to savour every chapter with relish and takes you on a journey from her childhood, adolescence, and adulthood with its vivid descriptions.
Westover received a BA from Brigham Young University in 2008 and was given a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. She earned an MPhil from Trinity College, Cambridge, in 2009 and was also a visiting fellow at Harvard University in 2010. She was awarded a PhD in history in 2014 from Cambridge University, UK.