Educated Book summary

Educated is a memoir by Tara Westover that recounts her journey from an isolated and unconventional upbringing in rural Idaho to earning a PhD from Cambridge University. The book was born out of Westover’s decision to confront her parents about her brother’s abuse, which led to a conflict resulting in her estrangement from some members of her family. Encouraged by mentors and friends to share her astonishing story, Westover turned her narrative and reflections into “Educated,” published in 2018.

The book has been widely acclaimed for its honest and vulnerable portrayal of Westover’s experiences. Readers have been deeply moved by her account of overcoming her survivalist Mormon family to pursue education. The memoir resonates with readers as it reminds them that education is not merely about acquiring knowledge; it is about expanding horizons, challenging preconceptions, and embracing the transformative power of learning. Critics have praised Westover’s honesty and vulnerability in revealing both the abuse she suffered and the sense of loss she experienced as she gradually cut ties with her family.

Educated has won several awards and accolades. It debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list and spent 132 consecutive weeks on the Hardcover Non-Fiction Best Seller list. The book won a 2019 Alex Award and was shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, PEN America’s Jean Stein Book Award, and two awards from the National Book Critics Circle Award1. The American Booksellers Association named Educated the Nonfiction Book of the Year, and it was ranked as one of the 10 Best Books of 2018 by The New York Times.

Educated is fundamentally a backward glance, filled with Tara Westover’s recollections of her history. She narrates her life’s occurrences from a perspective in her late twenties, sporadically interjecting to reflect on the endeavor of reaching a truthful representation of the past. Tara, the youngest of seven offspring, was born to parents she pseudonymously names Faye and Gene. The Westovers resided on a farm in the Idaho countryside, where Gene earned his keep by salvaging scrap metal and Faye practiced as an uncertified midwife and herbal healer. Gene harbored paranoid apprehensions about federal government intrusion, leading him to prohibit his children from attending school, obtaining birth certificates, or seeking medical care. He was also a fervent Mormon, advocating for extreme self-reliance and prophesying an imminent Day of Judgement.

The dynamics within the Westover family began to shift when Tara was around nine. Faye’s midwifery work bolstered her sense of autonomy, but after incurring a severe, untreated brain injury in a car mishap, she lost faith in her abilities and turned her focus to herbal remedies and a form of intuitive healing. Around this period, Tyler, the third son, declared his intention to pursue a college education, leading to his estrangement from the family. Tyler’s departure necessitated Tara’s increased involvement in assisting her father with his scrapping work, exposing her to constant risk of perilous injury. It also sparked her curiosity about potentially seeking an education herself. At the age of ten, Tara expressed her desire to start school to her disapproving father, but the idea never materialized.

As Tara transitioned into her teenage years, she gained more independence from her family by taking on various jobs and engaging in singing and musical theatre in the local community. However, her life was governed by the stringent rules and religious doctrine imposed by her father, and Tara frequently fretted about becoming sinful. When Tara was thirteen, her older brother Shawn returned home. Initially, Shawn and Tara shared a close bond and spent considerable time together. However, when Tara was about fifteen, Shawn started physically abusing her. His behavior deteriorated further after he suffered a head injury. Tyler eventually became aware of Shawn’s abusive treatment of Tara, and he encouraged Tara to seriously contemplate applying to college and distancing herself from the family. Despite initial uncertainty, Tara embarked on studying and was ultimately accepted at Brigham Young University, having successfully portrayed herself as homeschooled.

In January 2004, Tara, at the age of seventeen, relocated to Utah to commence her university journey. The transition was initially challenging, but she gradually started to thrive academically. Tara’s financial situation was unstable, necessitating multiple jobs and exceptional academic performance to secure her scholarship. Her growing autonomy also sparked a menacing dynamic with Gene and Shawn. Each time Tara visited Buck’s Peak, her father coerced her into laboring for him, while Shawn perpetuated his physical and emotional torment. Tara eventually disclosed her circumstances to a bishop, who assisted her in obtaining funds for her education. Her academic pursuits, coupled with the individuals she encountered, progressively unveiled alternate realities, compelling her to acknowledge the detrimental and isolating nature of her upbringing. Tara ultimately switched her major to history and was urged to apply for a study abroad program at Cambridge University in England.

Tara’s stint at Cambridge further expanded her worldview, and she was prompted to contemplate postgraduate studies. Despite these advancements, Tara felt alienated from her contemporaries and was embarrassed about her background. She concealed most of her history, even from her friends and occasional romantic interests. She was ultimately granted the esteemed Cambridge Gates Fellowship and relocated to England to pursue a Master’s degree. She maintained regular contact with her family and frequently returned to Idaho, but her familial relationships worsened. Shawn’s behavior became increasingly unpredictable and violent, causing Tara to worry for the safety of his spouse and young child. Serendipitously, she disclosed Shawn’s abusive behavior to her sister Audrey, who later admitted that she too had been a victim of Shawn’s abuse. Audrey held herself accountable for not safeguarding her younger sister and proposed that they confront their parents and Shawn about their experiences.

By this point, Tara had established a contented existence for herself in England and was pursuing a PhD in history at Cambridge. However, her endeavor to voice the truth rapidly incited familial discord. Tara increasingly found herself alienated within her family, ultimately leading to Shawn discovering that she had been disclosing the abuse she endured to their parents. Recognizing that her family would never accept her allegations, Tara distanced herself from most of them, with Tyler being the exception. The separation from her family induced sorrow and depression in Tara, but she eventually managed to recover and triumphantly earned her PhD. By the conclusion of her memoir, Tara has reconciled with the possibility that she may never reconcile with her family, but she derives satisfaction from the autonomy she has achieved and the life she has constructed for herself.