Wonderful and thought provoking

Beautifully written and narrated, often painfully depicting a child, a family, abused, bulleyed and controlled under the cover of Mormonism. Shocking that such derranged minds could wield such power over their innocent families using threats and violence, hidden from the authorities under their cloak of religeon. Hard to know if the abusers were simply brainwashed into their psychopathy or were born warped and enjoyed the protection of their mormon enclave to carry out their sadistic rituals.
The book made me angry for the family members, who, while striving to be 'good' people gave power to evil men.
It's amazing to me that after the torture she suffered, mental and physical, the cruelty and rejection, the author still revered and loved her parents and sought their approval and affection. Making her the greater person.
It's always hard for those us who haven't experienced this sort of abuse to understand the control these abusers have, the guilt and self blame they instil into their victims.
At the end of it all, despite Tara's true goodness of heart and forgiving spirit, I do wish someone would grab that nasty old dad by the scruff and throw him and his psychopathic son Sean into goal and give them a taste of their own medicine!

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6 people found this helpful

Amazing

Well written. Could not put it down. Will listen to it again. One of the best books I have read.

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Very moving

The story of the pull of this abusive family was completely gripping and horrifying - bravo

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Fantastic book

I loved this. Gripping. Fantastic narrative. Amazing first book. A real page turner. Highly recommend.

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one of the best memoirs I have read

absolutely absorbing. beautifully expressed. an important subject bought to light in the right way. I clung on to every word.

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Super, shocking and indeed an education

Everyone needs to read this incredible examination of family, beliefs and cruelty and how humans can choose to see all.
Amazing memoir.

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Definitely an Education!

I enjoyed the book but I would have liked Tara to have made a positive contribution to her family. maybe educate them... but instead she was disowned and that to me is sad.

I hope shawn gets his ass kicked and arrested for his crimes. Please write another book when that happens!

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Harrowing and inspiring

It seems almost impossible that Tara Westover is an academician from both Harvard and Cambridge given that she had never been to school. Her story is important, revealing how women are treated and subjugated in fundamentalist societies.

Brought up in a survivalist, Mormon family, Westover speaks about a poverty-stricken, difficult childhood where education is seen as secondary and violence is rife. Her relationship with her abusive brother is horrifying, And moreso is her family's acceptance of his behaviour. So gaining scholarships to top universities in the world despite having had no clue about the Holocaust, the civil rights movement, and Napoleon, is no mean feat.

While parts are repetitive, it is engaging and harrowing to hear her inspiring story.

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LOVE

powerful and Grappling. I couldn't stop listening. An awakening of feminism story is always a joy.

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Inspirational

An amazing story told with a powerful and perceptive voice. Never self pitying, never sentimental this book tells a heart searingly honest and vivid account of her reclusive and damaging childhood. The title of the book gives the clue to this amazing transformative journey that the reader makes with the writer. Thoroughly recommend.

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