Uneducated: A Memoir of Flunking Out, Falling Apart, and Finding My Worth

by Christopher Zara

67% of Americans do not have a college degree. Christopher Zara is one of them.

Boldly honest, wryly funny, and utterly open-hearted, Uneducated is one diploma-less journalist's map of our growing educational divide and, ultimately, a challenge: in our credential-obsessed world, what is the true value of a college degree?

For Christopher Zara, this is the professional minefield he has had to navigate since the day he was kicked out of his New Jersey high school for behavioral problems and never allowed back. From a school for "troubled kids," to wrestling with his identity in the burgeoning punk scene of the 1980s; from a stint as an ice cream scooper as he got clean in Florida, to an unpaid internship in New York in his thirties, Zara spent years contending with skeptical hiring managers and his own impostor syndrome before breaking into the world of journalism--only to be met by a pedigree-obsessed industry. As he navigated the world of the elite and saw the realities of the education gap firsthand, Zara realized he needed to confront the label he had been quietly holding in: what it looked like to be part of the "working class"--whatever that meant.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Education, Autobiography, Sociology

272 pages, Hardcover

Published May 16, 2023

About the author

I'm an author and journalist who covers media, tech, business, and theater. I'm a senior editor for Fast Company, where I run the news desk. Before that I was a deputy editor for International Business Times, a theater critic for Newsweek, and the managing editor of Show Business Weekly. I live in New York City with my wife and our cat.

Reviews

[Kate The Great · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the good fortune of being a colleague of Christopher's for the last six years at Fast Company. I've always known him to be a smart, enterprising journalist and a talented writer. It's such a beautifully written and honest portrait of professional struggle and self doubt and the lingering impact of class and untreated mental health. It's a perspective on privilege and power that never gets told. I don't share Christopher's exact background but I saw echos of my own experiences in his story of feeling like fraud in an "elite" industry. It's a book that will hopefully spark a necessary conversation. There are so many underlined passages in my copy. It's a book that will stay with me for a long time.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is a circumstantial 3 star- I’m in a bit of a slump… I couldn’t really get into the book and that’s probably why. I did enjoy reading about his life but I’m not sure this book accomplished what it set out to do. I don’t feel like what he felt the real value of a college degree was actually presented, and the way he talked about it made it seem like there wasn’t actually a lot of value in the education itself but rather the resume title of college graduate. I may not have read closely enough so that might have been the point but I don’t think I entirely agree. there was a lot more focus put on him navigating the journalism industry rather than not having a degree so the whole value of education conversation kind of got lost in the mix. either way I am glad to have read this

[Ica · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Uneducated" is a memoir by Christopher Zara, who fearlessly talks about being a wayward young adult, a school dropout, and a substance user before making it big as a journalist. His journey wasn't an easy one, but he was determined to put in extra effort to get where he is today. A very honest, thought-provoking, and interesting read, for sure!

[Mrtruscott · Rating 5 out of 5]

“….the world is full of educated derelicts,” said Calvin Coolidge.
Why isn’t everyone talking about this book?

When I read Christopher Zara’s New York Times oped piece which preceded the debut of his memoir, I had the classic writerly narcissist response — why didn’t I think of writing his book?

The question I have after reading this book is — why do so few of us “uneducated” tell our stories? The world is also full of uneducated successes. (Bill Gates, The Beatles, Walt Disney…etc…etc…).

Statistics say that about 33% of citizens in the US have college degrees — thus Coolidge’s quote isn’t exactly accurate. The world is only partially full of educated derelicts.

The statistic also means that the majority of us are uneducated, like Zara, in one way or another. With algorithms sorting job applications—the 67% +/- of non-degreed job seekers face a form of ‘discrimination’ that no one, to my best uneducated guess, really addresses. Obviously you don’t want a drop-out for a surgeon or attorney, but for many jobs? No one could give you a specific reason for the college degree requirement.

I can see that of course Christopher Zara had to write this book. His uniquely Zara story needs to be shared. He’s honest in a genre in which honesty matters.

Zara’s learning differences, family circumstances and distracted parents adversely affected his education, and made it easy for him to “slip through the cracks” at school — yet his description of the obstacles he encountered is loving, and he managed to explain without blame, which can be tricky in a memoir. He’s unflinching about the self doubt that followed him from job to job as he made his way out of the underworld of low-rung jobs — his honesty makes his story uniquely relatable and triumphant. And anyone who’s toiled in the underworld of low-rung jobs that aren’t just temporary/student work will be able to relate to his weird jobs and even weirder bosses.

Zara “made it” to the upper echelons of media, and his story of struggle and success should spur every boss in America to evaluate their HR process, requirements and screening to be sure they are not keeping the 67% of people who comprise the uneducated out of interviews and jobs. There’s no reason why educated derelicts should perpetuate a “requirement” for employment that isn’t really required.

The rest of the Calvin Coolidge quote says “persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” I like to think Coolidge would be impressed with Zara and his memoir.

(Disclosure - I messaged Christopher Zara after I read his op-ed piece and before I read his book, and have communicated with him online, so I am either a friend or … a book stalker?)

[Kristen M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. The author dropped out of high school and eventually got an GED. He went to a Trenton, NJ public school in the 1980s and was deemed a problem child/student. He rebelled, embraced punk rock, and floated from Orlando FL, to Seattle, WA and then back to the NYC area to land a job as an assistant to a struggling niche publication. He parlayed this entry-level job to land several consecutive plum jobs in journalism, despite having no bachelor's degree whatsoever.

He talks about impostor syndrome and hiding his 'no college' secret - and how evading this question for so long took a toll on him. What does it even mean to be educated anyway? This title pairs perfectly with Tara Westover's Educated and begs the question - what is the value of a college education? It is class warfare, or just credentialism?

Zara proves he has the chops to cut it in the industry, and makes special mention of all the gatekeepers who let him in anyway, despite the roadblock of not having a degree. Excellent!

[Eva Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher Zara writes the hell out of this memoir, a testament to his sheer talent, brilliance, drive, and desire to learn on his own terms. Uneducated gallops along at a tight clip, always absorbing, vividly told, by turns moving, thought-provoking, infuriating, and hilarious. I came away staggered at the enormity of brain power gatekeepers and hiring algorithms all too often leave on the table when the lack of a college education is a deal-breaker. Like Uneducated, the book's jacket, designed by Christina D'Angelo with Zara's high school transcripts, is revelatory.

[Chloe Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book challenged my perspective and made me consider how lucky I was.

[Read Walk Repeat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be a bit all over the place, and not a great book-fit for me. Some of it worked, but other sections seemed like out of place tangents or key phrase / name dropping. I found the beginning of this book, where the author talks about his struggles in high school, an interesting and important read on the positive vs negative effects of labels / IEPs / special education programs and the lasting implications on a person’s mental health. Then there is an awful lot abut the challenges journalists faced during the transition to on-line news / media platforms. Some interesting themes of imposter syndrome and looking for someone / thing to blame when things didn’t work out. Overall was just an “ok” read for me.

💕You might like this book if:
🔹 you like memoirs that are more like a collection of loosely related articles
🔹 you like authors that reflect on the impacts of mental health
🔹 you are interested in memoirs that share a person’s journey to finding their self-worth

A huge thanks to netgalley and Little Brown and Company for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book from the library shelf out of curiosity and was quickly swept into Christopher Zara's world. He writes of his life growing up in New Jersey, the middle child of a lower-middle class family. He writes about being an obedient school aged child, a punk rock high school drop out, a young adult who dealt with substance abuse, and the trials of eventually becoming a successful journalist. Through his journey, the reader gets to experience what life is like when you don't fit into society's educational standards.

It's a thought provoking biography and a story that deserves to be shared. Although not the main point, it was also interesting to read how the transition from print media to digital affected so many companies.

-side note-
It is crazy thinking about how much time and money is spent into our degrees (Bachelors, Masters, etc.). To me, a person's work experience carries more weight than their alma maters. I've worked with some amazing nurses in my field, and where they graduated made little to no difference to me. A good coworker is a good coworker, no matter where they studied.

[Hanna Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book honest and refreshing, a change of pace for someone who sits within the four walls of the ivory tower during the week. Really hard to put down once you build up some momentum.

**this book was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Kirstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging, honest and thought- provoking. An important perspective on the increasing divide between who does and doesn't have access to opportunities. Thoroughly enjoyed this page- turner.

[GT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please READ this book, especially if you ever have felt out of place and persevered, and also love a good laugh and beautiful writing.

[Jess Smith]

Didn't finish I got bored sorry!

[Danielle W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting. The author pursued a profession in journalism/media without a bachelors degree and explains how that lack of degree continues to weigh him down despite the fact that he has proven his merit through work experience. Lots of food for thought.

[Dana P. Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Compelling Memoir of Triumph and Redefining Success

Reading "Uneducated" was an absolute delight.

Christopher Zara fearlessly shares his personal journey from dropout to successful journalist. I couldn't help but connect with his vulnerability, especially as someone who has also battled imposter syndrome throughout my life.

Zara's storytelling transported me to the vibrant streets of New York City, making me fall in love with it all over again. Whether you're a New York enthusiast or simply love immersive storytelling, you'll be captivated.

What struck me most was the exploration of the true value of education. Zara's encounters with skeptical employers and his defiance of societal expectations left me questioning my beliefs. This heartfelt memoir is a reminder that true success is about resilience, determination, and self-belief.

"Uneducated" left me inspired and ready to conquer my own challenges.

It's an authentic, soul-touching memoir with wonderful heart-touching surprises you won't want to miss.

[Chaitra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars maybe? I'm conflicted. On the one hand, it was interesting to read about someone with no college degree trying and making it in journalism. And some of it was journalism's own radical shift from a physical medium to digital media, complete with a tracker to gauge engagement on stories (which explains a whole lot, to be frank). I think they'd do better as two different books though? I mean as a reader I got whiplash because it's not serial. I'm usually fine with skipping around along the timeline, but the two topics could have easily been separated.

I was also not sure if there was a point to be made about the lack of college education. I felt like it was getting somewhere, especially after Trump was elected President, but didn't quite get there.

[Zoe Jin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it talks about how a person screwed up in the younger age works all the way up to the top, where the person want to be. I am curious about how the person navigate themselves in the new world and how they make a decision. I think this part is the most valuable and can really relate to most readers.

[Navya Chintaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really glad I read this book. I will admit, I don’t often stop and think about how higher education molds the workforce and how it can impact self-worth so easily for those who don’t possess college degrees, because the issues are so unnoticeable for people who are in higher education (like me), as Zara says. Great read, and Zara is a wonderful storyteller.

[Joann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The strength of this book, for me, was the inside look at the world of written media. Zara writes candidly about the workings that go on to publish a paper or magazine and, later on line publications. His personal story is compelling. It is nice that the jacket design is by his wife, Christina D’Angelo.

[Leah Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a day-to-day basis I think very little about what it must be like to not have a college degree because 99% of the people in my orbit also have college degrees. This was a good reminder of the challenges and obstacles that are created for those that don’t.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I found it hard to put this book down.

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars, would have liked to have rated it higher...

"Writing and reporting a story quickly becomes a battle between confirming your assumptions and arriving at an objective truth. Once those choices are made, you have to live with them forever, out there in the easily searchable, easily screenshot-able abyss of digital history. When you're an editor, writers count on you to help them make the right choices. That's why nothing feels worse than fucking up a story-except fucking up someone else's story" (Zara 214)

First, I really enjoyed reading journalist Christopher Zara's road to success as a writer and journalist, now the senior editor of "Fast Company" (which to my own ignorance- I did not know existed, but will be reading articles from).

The memoir is really zippy and written with wit and humor. I found Mr. Zara's heart to be incredibly pure in every intention and with a mindset that the success he's cultivated, is something he truly would want for his readers. I found this book while browsing at my local library and since I am an educator- I was intrigued by this book because I do have students that have told me they struggle with the decision of either going to, or not attending an institution for higher learning.

I thought by reading Zara's story, perhaps I would teach or have students read "Uneducated" as an independent reading text. After all, my students occupy the same City most of Zara's book is set.

What intrigued me most was Zara's being labeled as emotionally disturbed because of his being introverted and suffering from depression and anxiety is the heart of his book, and I wished he explored more about his emotional and learning disabilities as a way of finding ways to navigate his road to success with those topics in mind, rather than always zipping through how he got here, or how he got there.

Since it was these learning disabilities that hobbled him from formally completing a higher education degree, I think focusing on his positive strengths as a talented writer who often found himself in situations where he met the right people who supported his talent, (especially Mr. Chieftain, one of his former superiors as "Show Business Weekly") and finding ways to use the negativity he faced as an adolescent into something more of an actual inspirational tool for those who might find it hopeless to function because they've been put down so much due to a lack of education.

Plus even though it is his story, I wish Zara pointed out that though he grew up in working class Trenton NJ, he could have pointed out his being white and male partially had to do with his successes, something that some of many brown and black students I've taught over the years, could not attain because of their educational backgrounds, personal history, and class divisions.

Even though this is a heartwarming story to show the world how he made it- I think the book could have actually been a bit longer in exploring the failure of the school system, and Zara living in Orlando, Florida, trying to figure out the direction where his life would be. In spite of my criticism, the book is worthy of several reads because he is a natural born storyteller, and is truly inspiring.

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christopher Zara took a less traveled path on his way to a successful career as a journalist. He doesn't have a college degree and in his 30s got his start in the field as an unpaid intern. A good example of how hard work and determination can get you far.

So much food for thought in Christopher's memoir. It's estimated 67% of Americans do not have a college degree. While higher education has great value it's not the be-all end-all for determining success in the workforce. Part of Christopher's drive very well could have stemmed from feeling ashamed he didn't graduate college and knowing he would have to prove himself to employers. That extra motivation might not have been there if he had earned a degree. Who knows?

The author also talks about his mental health and drug addiction issues. He's overcome a lot in his life and his story is worth reading.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for sending me an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

[Helen Jacoby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zara has had an interesting life, filled with challenges, and for the most part his memoir makes good reading, especially the part about his early days getting established in NYC. The reason I gave the book only 3 stars, was that I was hoping for more in-depth coverage of the fate of people without college degrees who try to succeed in jobs that usually require such a degree. Hearing about the difficulties Zara and his wife faced was interesting, but what's missing is any discussion about how unusual their situation might or might not be. Without that, we are left with a decently written memoir about one person's struggles, but with no general information about the issue beyond his experiences.

[Madras Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a decent book, all things considered. Chris raises some very pertinent questions and provides a candid account of his personal and professional journey. He openly acknowledges his insecurities, internal narratives, struggles, and his path to overcoming his past to achieve his present position. The book rightly emphasises the significance of education. One often hears figures like Bill Gates cited as evidence that formal education is unnecessary for success. However, for those of us with more grounded backgrounds and without extraordinary talents, the crucial question remains: is it truly advisable to forgo education? Chris, through his clear and engaging narrative, unequivocally answers in the negative, both implicitly and explicitly. A worthwhile read, indeed.

[Sam Greenfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zara writes of struggling with our traditional educational systems, beating an addiction to heroin, and earning a job as a writer and editor while living on a shoestring budget in NYC in the 90s and early 00s. His story is strong evidence that we, as a society, need to rethink our approach towards education. Zara does a strong job of capturing what it was like to grow up and live in NYC in the 90s. His chronicle of working on a variety of publications in the city is also on-point.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the journey of someone without a college degree in today's society as well as people interested in publishing and New York City.

[Lisa Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I jumped at the chance to read this when I saw the subject. As an autodidact myself, I was very interested in Zara's choices. The great college divide is brutal and as more companies turn to algorithms to weed out applicants, it will only get harder to find work without a college degree.
People learn differently. Not everyone can be successful in a classroom setting. We need to embrace difference not write off the 66% of Americans who do not have a college degree. Thank you Christopher Zara! this was a great read!

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this one the ol' college try, if you will, but it landed as my first DNF of 2024, somewhere around 60% through when I realized I felt zero investment or hook.

This may be a memoir suited best for those who already know who the author is, and are already aware of how things have turned out before they start. I've ready many memoirs not knowing who the person is, and didn't need to know in order to feel invested. The foundations in this book of "I don't have a degree" and "I feel inferior," simply aren't enough to stick around to find out how things turn out.

[Stephanie Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read a book like this, but with all the buzz about AI and the decrease in men graduating from college, it seemed especially timely. The author is fearlessly honest about his experience and you find yourself cheering him on as he works every angle to advance his journalism career, from a decisive disadvantage. His story offers a clear-eyed view of the importance of a college degree on a resume, but offers a lot of hope for alienate paths too. Highly recommend!

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to get an early copy, and I literally couldn't put the book down. Zara takes you by the hand, back and forth in time, allowing you to see not just what happened, but how it felt and impacted him throughout his life. Zara's writing is warm, engaging, funny, and absorbing. This book sheds an important light on the need for more acceptance and opportunity for those who don't follow the "traditional" education or a "neat and clean" path in life.Truly a must read!