Educated: A Memoir

Wow!

What a fascinating peek into the lives of a family so different than anything I've ever known. I couldn't believe some of the stories from Tara's childhood, or the way her parents and siblings reacted to what was happening, specifically with all the injuries. It's just crazy to think how different peoples lives can be from your own, especially when you you're not that far apart geographically.

My favorite thing about this book is that Tara never once tells you what to think. She'll tell you a crazy story, but she never actually says “this is crazy, right!?” It's pretty much just, these are the facts of how I grew up and got an education, make of it what you will. In writing her story this way, she allows the people in her family to be whole, complex characters with both good and bad qualities, instead of just being labeled the villain, crazy, etc.

It's also strange to think that this story isn't technically over. I feel like I need to keep up with the author's life out side of the book to see how things with her family play out.