Challenge Corner discussion

Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag". In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard.

Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The 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.

Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes and the will to change it.

Hi! I have got the audiobook. Started listening. (view spoiler)[ It's quite interesting from the beginning. I couldn't have imagined anyone living like that by choice, and apparently the Westovers seem quite comfortable in it. It's reminding of a movie from a few years back, Captain Fantastic. But that didn't have any religious angle. I'm surprised at how long they have managed to survive without any medicine and avoided major disasters. (hide spoiler)]

More than halfway through. (view spoiler)[ It has become haunting by now. Initially although their lives had a lot of problematic elements, they seemed comfortable as a family. Now it's clear that it was only because the story was observed by a child who didn't know better. I really like the Tyler. It takes a lot of courage and emotional strength to come out of conditioning of that scale. And I still can't wrap my head around the idea of Luke's accident and putting his leg inside a bin not resulting in a disaster. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I liked the story and Westover's writing. It was engrossing and haunting. The last part where Tara was struggling to reconcile with losing her family and her education was so heartbreaking. I always felt that most stories where the protagonist cuts off from their families don't do justice with how difficult it might be. Here though although it was evidently a right step to get out of that toxic home, the struggle was real. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ I think the only issue I still have with the book is the near unbelievable medical aftermath of all the accidents. Some of them are bad enough that modern medicine with all the hospital equipment might have struggled to deal with them. But almost every time the combination of herbal medicine, finger clicking and faith seemed capable of dealing with it. Was it just coincidence or in Westover’s mind the incidents became out of proportion!

Any thoughts on this? (hide spoiler)]

I think I'll get it soon from library!

This book is INSANE!!!!

I'm at 24% and have to charge my headphones ugh!

don't want to stop listening!

(view spoiler)[
I know her writing is so good! And engrossing and haunting are two excellent words to describe it. I would also add disturbing and unbelievable. And I agree with you I can't believe all of those family members survived all of those horrible injuries. I don't think Tara is saying that those remedies actually worked and were the reason they survived its just crazy that somehow they did. But they won't be the same like her dad's body is not the same and with the Mom too doesn't have proper brain fuction and memory. But ya, I'm surprised no one died. (hide spoiler)]

I finished it! I think this is the craziest book I've ever read!

I know right!! This book was insane. If it was fiction I would have said the story isn't believable, but it's someone's real life 😱 😱.

Ushashi wrote: "I know right!! This book was insane. If it was fiction I would have said the story isn't believable, but it's someone's real life 😱 😱."

Yes, seriously. Totally crazy!!!