Best Book of Greenlights

Educated is a powerful and unforgettable memoir by Tara Westover, chronicling her extraordinary journey from growing up in a survivalist, isolated family in rural Idaho to earning a PhD from Cambridge University. Born to strict, deeply religious parents who didn’t believe in formal education or modern medicine, Tara never set foot in a classroom until she was 17. Her childhood was shaped by physical labor, homemade remedies, and a deep distrust of the outside world. Despite these barriers—and often in defiance of her family’s control and abuse—she taught herself enough to gain entry into college, eventually studying at Harvard and earning a doctorate at Cambridge. Through her story, Tara explores themes of identity, family loyalty, mental health, and the transformative power of education. Educated is not just about academic success; it’s a gripping account of a young woman’s fight to find her own voice and redefine her life on her own terms.