August memoir of the month: Educated!
Educated is a story about a young girl raised off the grid, how it impacted her world view, and what she had to endure to create a different life from the one her parent’s raised her to believe was the “right one.” Educated is also a story about what life looks like when you are raised by a parent with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. In this case, Tara’s father. Tara was raised off the grid, in a world where being overly emotional or “a crybaby” didn’t get her far, especially when it came to surviving. In many ways that is what Tara and her large Mormon family are doing. They are surviving, relying on no outside sources to get through life.
Aside from religious reasons, another reason Tara’s father decides to raise his family off the grid is due to his extreme ideas that the government is after them. Being a daughter of a mother with a mental illness myself, this dialogue quite familiar to me as having extreme fears that the government is after you is one of the major signs of a mental illness, in particular bipolar disorder. Here are 5 more reasons why you must get your hands on this memoir.
5 Reasons You Must Read Educated:
1) This memoir will show you how life looks when you live off the grid. It’s not a glamorous van life. It’s intense.
2) Educated will take you on a journey into how much resilience, pain, and strength it takes to break away from toxic family members that you still love.
3) Let’s talk about nature saving some lives! In this book, Tara’s father refuses to let his family go to doctors. So, Tara’s mother learns the ins and outs of how plants and essential oils can heal wounds and illnesses. While doctors are necessary at times, it is fascinating to read about the healing powers plants and herbs can provide when we take the time to learn about them.
4) You will learn what it looks like to be raised by a parent with undiagnosed bipolar disorder and how it impacts every family member, especially the kids.
5) You will come to see an education can be a way out of even the most hopeless situations.
