Book forum

In Tara Westover’s poignant and powerful memoir, readers learn about her challenging childhood starting with being forbidden to attend school because “public school was a ploy by the government to lead children away from God” (p. 5). Except for the Bible and a few old textbooks that were “adored,” in the Westover home most other texts were “exiled” (p. 239). Years later, at age 16, urged by one of her brothers, the author bought a college entrance exam study guide and she secured entrance to Brigham Young University. Within 10 years, Westover not only earned a bachelor’s degree, graduating summa cum laude, but also a masters’ and doctorate in history from Cambridge University, as well as a Harvard University fellowship.