This book is an autobiography by Tara Westover, mainly to share her life stories, her course of education, and how education transformed her.
She starts off by introducing her father who had been collecting tools and supplies for the upcoming event called Y2K. Y2K was the time when the computer calendar had to change to the year 2000. Many people believed that doing this would be impossible, and all the computers would malfunction and deprive people of many basic necessities. This is why Tara’s dad, Gene, collected supplies to last through the chaos that might ensue.
Tara’s family is Mormon, and is skeptical of the government, so they live in a very traditional and old lifestyle. One of the main settings of the story is Tara’s house in Buck’s Peak, Idaho. Her dad had a junkyard where he made his children (Tara, Shawn, Audrey) work to make money for the family. Tara eventually got tired of this lifestyle after she realized that her family was not always right and decided to move to a new educational system (she had been homeschooled). However, there were many obstacles that prevented her from doing this, such as the fear of disappointing her family and her abusive brother Shawn.
She managed to go to BYU and quickly realized that her family’s teaching and doctrines were problematic. She eventually pursued more education at Harvard and the University of Cambridge. She visited her family once, after her grandmother’s death. But she realized that it might be the last time they would ever meet because her family did not fully approve of her learning.
What I learned from this book
I think this is an excellent book because it teaches us that you have to find your own way of life, as other people’s opinions are not always correct, including your family. This book also introduces us to a different world where people live a life with very little presence of the government. In this world, as the book covers, some events may appear to be amusing for outsiders with an ordinary perspective, but they are not really amusing for Tara or anyone who has experienced this tough lifestyle.
What I also learned later was that Tara’s mother, LaRee Westover, also wrote a parody of this book called “Educating,” explaining her version of the same events told by Tara. I haven’t read this book, but based on others’ reviews and ratings, Tara’s book seems far more popular.
