Monday, February 11, 2019

Get Educated


I’m not a fan of flowery book reviews that seek incorporate strings of superlatives, even though many of them are clever and well-written. Now that I’ve said that, I’m in a bind I suppose.

I just finished reading Tara Westover’s memoir, Educated and I’m feeling compelled to suggest that anyone who knows how to read and is a member of a family might consider delving into it.

It’s hard to put my finger on why I feel that way. Perhaps it had such a powerful impact on me because I read the whole thing in less than a 24-hour period. I’m glad I turned out the light 30-some pages from the end last night because it would have been difficult to sleep if I’d kept on reading.

Perhaps it is because these days, it is easy to google an author, observe the interviews she has given, and come away feeling as if you have some insights into who this person is.

Perhaps it is because I have longed questioned radical religion and been puzzled about the harm it is capable of causing.

Perhaps it is because I have these feminist leanings that recoil when I see how some members of the masculine gender view the opposite sex and feel compelled to exert  power in a frightening way.

Perhaps it is because I’m blown away by Westover’s skill as a writer and by her willingness to defy some of the conventions writers are asked to abide by if they are to be successful.

It’s a book that will make you think: about family relationships, the real nature of education, the role a set of beliefs play in a life, and the amazing resilience of human beings.


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