“Educated” starts with an epigraph from Virginia Woolf: “The past is beautiful because one never realizes an emotion at the time. It expands later, and thus we don’t have complete emotions about the present, only the past.” What do you think Woolf meant by this? Why do you think Tara Westover chose to begin her memoir this way?

Tara’s father arguably had the biggest impact on her life, especially in her childhood. What do you think was the underlying root behind the choices he made for himself and for his family?

After reading Educated, how would you describe the author’s relationship with each of the following people?
What impact – positive or negative – would you say each of them had on her life, and how do you think you would feel about them had you been in her place?

• Her father

• Her mother

• Her Grandparents

• Her brother Tyler

• Her boyfriend Charles

• Her brother Shawn

How did birth order affect the author’s development? In what ways would the book be different had she been the oldest, or middle child, rather than the youngest?

Although much of Tara’s education happens in formal academic settings, many pivotal lessons come from people and experiences outside the classroom. Which of these moments had the greatest impact on her, and what do they suggest about what an “education” truly is?

In what ways do you think the author’s childhood involvement in theater shaped her growth and influenced her development?

Westover’s life changes dramatically due to an encouraging professor at BYU who advises her to apply to Cambridge. Looking back, have you ever had a teacher or professor who had a similarly life-changing impact on you?

The Westovers live in a “jagged little patch of Idaho” beneath a mountain described as dark, beautiful, and commanding. To what extent do you think this setting shaped their experience?

How do the different members of the author’s family react when she confronts them about her brother’s abuse, and what do you think motivates their reaction?

It took Tara ten years of distance before she chose to cut ties with her parents. Why do you think it took her so long to reach that decision? Do you think this is a typical timeline in situations involving mental or emotional abuse?

Tara paid a high price for her education: she lost her family. Do you think she would make the same choice again?

What parts of Tara’s story would you have liked to read more about, and were there any sections you felt could have been condensed or left out?