The summer is flying by me! My reading year has been a bit slow, only 10 books read this year.
But, I'm on vacation this week and hoping to get a couple of books under my belt.
But, i want to review one I finished up last month- Educated by Tara Westover. Now, i know everyone has loved this book. It is on all of the "Best of 2018" list but it was not for me.
I think it is well written and it is truly remarkable that she survived this upbringing. It is remarkable that she managed to educate herself and push herself through college and beyond. But it was painful to read. So much abuse and pain and emotional drama.
If you don't know the story, it is a memoir of a woman who grew up off the grid in Idaho. Her father is a self proclaimed prophet of impending doom and her mother becomes a mid-wife. Her father doesn't believe in doctors or medicine or education or the government. They are Mormons and survivalist. Tara doesn't go to school and is home schooled (thought not really) by her mother .. She wants more for herself and manages to get into college and studies philosophy and history at BYU. It is a story of her growth and eventual separation from the family and the crazy belief system they live with.
I just struggled with all of the terrible accidents they endure. Between car accidents, burns, and accidents in the junkyard, it felt like someone was always hurt and not being treated by a real doctor. Plus she has this very abusive brother who inflicted pain on her, her sister and his wife.
I struggled with how she was constantly saying.. I knew I should do something but i couldn't. Or I wish I had done this, but i didn't. I get that it is very traumatic and living in that situation is not even something I can imagine but I didn't enjoy it. Some would say that it is more important for us to experience these things and to understand them and to admire how she overcame and that is fine. I read primarily for fun.
I gave it 3 stars- well written, important topic, amazing journey but really difficult to read and so upsetting.
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But, I'm on vacation this week and hoping to get a couple of books under my belt.
But, i want to review one I finished up last month- Educated by Tara Westover. Now, i know everyone has loved this book. It is on all of the "Best of 2018" list but it was not for me. I think it is well written and it is truly remarkable that she survived this upbringing. It is remarkable that she managed to educate herself and push herself through college and beyond. But it was painful to read. So much abuse and pain and emotional drama.
If you don't know the story, it is a memoir of a woman who grew up off the grid in Idaho. Her father is a self proclaimed prophet of impending doom and her mother becomes a mid-wife. Her father doesn't believe in doctors or medicine or education or the government. They are Mormons and survivalist. Tara doesn't go to school and is home schooled (thought not really) by her mother .. She wants more for herself and manages to get into college and studies philosophy and history at BYU. It is a story of her growth and eventual separation from the family and the crazy belief system they live with.
I just struggled with all of the terrible accidents they endure. Between car accidents, burns, and accidents in the junkyard, it felt like someone was always hurt and not being treated by a real doctor. Plus she has this very abusive brother who inflicted pain on her, her sister and his wife.
I struggled with how she was constantly saying.. I knew I should do something but i couldn't. Or I wish I had done this, but i didn't. I get that it is very traumatic and living in that situation is not even something I can imagine but I didn't enjoy it. Some would say that it is more important for us to experience these things and to understand them and to admire how she overcame and that is fine. I read primarily for fun.
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| The author- Tara Westover |
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