Staff Picks

This was a more challenging book than I had anticipated. Reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, this book addresses good vs. evil, power, and conformity among a group of high school boys. It requires you to consider what you would do in such a situation and what your outlook on life would be. To sum it up, one must consider: is it worth it to disturb the universe? And if so, under what circumstances and at what costs?

 

Publisher description:

A high school freshman discovers the devastating consequences of refusing to join in the school's annual fund raising drive and arousing the wrath of the school bullies.

 

This book dives into how some big trends in the past few decades have shaped today's political, social, and cultural atmosphere in the U.S. It takes on three major "untruths" that have crept into modern thinking: “What doesn’t kill you makes you weaker” -- where overprotective parenting has shielded children from challenges and has made younger generations less emotionally resilient; “Always trust your feelings” -- where people are encouraged to follow emotional reactions over logical and rational problem-solving; and “Life is a battle between good and evil people” -- where black-and-white mindsets fuel polarization and conflict. The authors connect these trends to the rise of "common enemy politics" and the intense divide in America today. What I really appreciated about this book was that it wasn’t just a pessimistic report of these negative trends. Instead, the authors actually offer advice for parents, schools, and young people to break out of these patterns. This book has a way of being brutally honest about the challenges that America is facing and will continue to face, but still leaves you feeling hopeful by the end, as it ends on a positive note. Personally, as someone who’s grown up in this generation, it made me reflect on how I was raised and how I see others being raised, especially as I get ready for college. It gave me awareness of these issues and practical ideas on how to approach America’s political and social climate with more emotional awareness and resilience. If you like politics, sociology, or just want a better understanding of why things feel so divided these days, I would totally recommend this book. It’s not just informative, well-written, and politically unbiased (which is always nice to see in political non-fiction), but it’s a wonderful guide for anyone who wants to help make things better.

 

-Ainsley, twelfth-grade volunteer

 

Publisher's Description: 

This is a book for anyone who is confused by what is happening on college campuses today, or has children, or is concerned about the growing inability of Americans to live, work, and cooperate across party lines.

 

Educated is a memoir, so it is a bit slower at times. Although it's hard to get into at first, it's overall a good read and an empowering almost rags to riches story. Westover illustrates her upbringing, which is very different from what would generally be considered "normal" in a descriptive way. She depicts her childhood, and the stories that made her who she is today, some of which are surprising. Westover's story cements the idea that having an education can be a privilege and is something people often take for granted. The book is slightly more mature, so I'd recommend it to people with a slightly higher reading level who want a book with an empowering story. 

- Anonymous 12th grade teen volunteer

 

Publisher's description:

Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag." In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard. Her father distrusted the medical establishment, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when an older brother became violent. When another brother got himself into college and came back with news of the world beyond the mountain, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. She taught herself enough mathematics, grammar, and science to take the ACT and was admitted to Brigham Young University. There, she studied psychology, politics, philosophy, and history, learning for the first time about pivotal world events like the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

 

Find Educated: A Memoir in our online catalog.