Ok, I’m reading Educated and I’m having a hard time getting into it. I’ve heard people rave about this book. Should I keep going ?
Ok, I’m reading Educated and I’m having a hard time getting into it. I’ve heard people rave about this book. Should I keep going ?
Keep going just finished it had mixed feelings about it
I read it twice.
i finished it, but wasn’t really a fan
I thought it was just OK. I did finish it, but skimmed some parts. Very jarring to me.
I find myself having to re-read pages, ?
Nothing wrong with rereading. I do it all the time. Better to understand than be frustrated
I had to muscle through it because she was a speaker at a conference I was organizing. I think she has some good points in the later sections. But it’s kind of torture porn in that way the Glass Castle and Wild are that I have trouble stomaching.
@Aimee
What?????
Yes!
I’m a big believer that if you are not enjoying it, if you are not looking forward to going back to reading it then you should put it down.
The glass castle I flew through.
I didn’t like it just couldn’t get into it
Have any of you read from the corner of the oval?
I didn’t enjoy it either, but I did finish.
I like that genre and I’m drawn to ppl who survive in spite of strife. Maybe that’s not your cup of tea.
I enjoyed it- I read it for a book club – the story was fascinating
Glad I’m not the only one. It expires on my kindle this Friday and I’m having a hard time reading it. Not my favorite either.
Same but once I got past 100 pages I was hooked! Keep chugging along!
Good! I’m almost to page 100!☺
@Anna it gets better! I had to get used to her writing style and her story telling. Things get more interesting after that!
@Tran her writing style is what I’m struggling with, not sure why.
@Jeanie it seemed eclectic to me. Jumped back and forth in her timeline and memory. Spent a lot of time trying to figure out what the timeline was
@Tran yes!!!
I read Educated twice and was a 2 book discussions about the book. I am glad for the book discussions that opened me up to different perspectives of the story that I hadn’t thought about.
Yes, keep reading. It’s very sad, but very good
It gets better, keep going
Not every book is for me, as much as I’d like to think so. Sometimes I don’t like the story or the writing is meh! Sometimes a book is beyond me. Sometimes I hang in there and sometimes I don’t for my own reasons. Plenty of books out there!
Curious what others who’ve read Educated think of the blog the author’s brother started that refutes large portions of the book? I enjoyed the book but maybe it’s more fiction than memoir?
@Jessica I’ve read pieces but as I read the book I kept thinking it wasn’t quite right. She does say “as I remember it” so I’m sure much is elaborated on and some is pure fiction
Was it the brother that tortured her or the one that got “out” before her?
I don’t believe it’s fiction but I do believe that each of those kids had their own experiences and part of their survival was to not focus too much on what the other kids in the family were going through. It might be too much for a kid or young adult to make it out of those circumstances on their own, recognizing another sibling’s crises might be too much
@Greta the older brother who got “out.” I forget his name. The one who taught her math and went to college
I feel like maybe he wasn’t there for a lot of the later abuse that went on as the father’s mental state became more and more unstable
I could see that. There was a pretty big age gap between then
I finished only because my book club read it. I thought it was highly overrated and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone
I liked it a lot. Stories about people overcoming incredible odds are some of my favorites. There were parts that were difficult to get through but I figured it was way worse for her than me . Everyone is different so I say of you aren’t enjoying it move on.
The book was slow moving and it didn’t seem that far out of ordinary at first, but as you get into the book you will see just how bizarre the father was and how his behavior affected the family
It can be disturbing but I found it very interesting.
It was so good.☺️
I just finished. Keep going. It can be upsetting, disturbing and frustrating at times but worth the read
I just finished it today. I read it very quickly and liked it very much. Very different from the way I was raised. Stick with it.
I remember having the same question until I got about halfway through. Her determination to break away from her family and then the struggle held my interest.
Keep going it gets better
I didn’t think it was a great book. I feel like the story could have been edited better. I did like learning her story, but I thought the book dragged.
I did not like it! Wish I would have stopped!
Yes. Stick with it. It gets better.
She have a great story to tell but she is not a polished writer, not surprising with all she went through.
I did not like it!
Keep going!
Definitely worth reading
keep reading. it’s an awesome book
keep reading. it’s the only way you’ll decide if you like the Author or not…. Some books are like that…stick with it…and read it..then decide…
I am reading it now too. I started it a few months ago, but put it down for awhile. Now l can’t read it fast enough.
I hated the characters in this book. Not a fan.
I found the book mesmerizing, but needed to approach it from the point of view of appreciating the incredible hurdles the author overcame.
It was definitely different! Rather disturbing,,but worth the read!
Loved it!
I had to put it down. I’ve read that “story” so many times, and by much better writers.
I agree with you. Did not care for the writing, but interesting story. I felt the same way about Hillbilly Elegy. Interesting story, writing could have been better.
@Stephanie I read that too. Having lived near that area it resonated with me. But since he got out, I thought he was a self-righteous little prick. He offered no solutions but just made excuses for the people who live there.
I LOVED it. I thought she was a beautiful writer too. Worth it to keep reading. I can’t remember the beginning being slow.
Are you reading for your own pleasure or interest, or to impress someone? Sometimes it helps to go away and try again later.
I finished it dragging my way through it. I don’t really know why people are raving about it.
https://leeawrites.wordpress.com/2019/03/04/book-review-educated-by-tara-westover/
I think if the topic doesn’t speak to you in the time that you are reading it, if the writing is not what you need right now, then the best book in the world would be unreadable. And authors want you to love their work. I’d put it down for now. Not the right time and may never be.
It’s a great book…I’d stick with it.
Definitely keep going.
Yes!
Sometimes difficult to read, but keep going.
I didn’t like it. Skipped around and repeated things
Why the heck would you bother to read a book that didn’t grab you in the first chapter? Get them from the library. No commitment that way.
Jeanie, I believe in the saying “ Too many books, too little time”. If a book doesn’t speak to me in the first 30 or so pages, I give up. Life’s too short for books that don’t touch your heart!
Agree!
Same!!!
@Sharon , my philosophy as well but Educated was a book club read and I was assigned the review. I’m glad I stuck with it. A remarkable book!
I loved it but agree with others if it doesn’t grab you don’t waste your time.
I would stick with it. When I realized it was the author’s life story and she was born in 1986, it became more interesting. I had to take breaks from it, but later I couldn’t put it down. Check out her interview online.
I found it tough to get into at first but ended up loving it. But I agree, don’t force yourself to read something just because other people loved it. I did that with The Book Thief and I hated it. Hated. It.
It’s a great book keep at it.
U
I listened on audible and was fascinated by the story!
Keep going. I just found a lot of the parts needed more elaboration. She seemed to quickly jump from one situation to the next. Not Glass Castles by any means but an ok book destined to be a movie like Wild. ( which I didn’t really care for)
I thought it was outstanding- but that’s me. To each her own tastes. I just read a 550 page ever-so-popular book that I was about to DNF around 280 pages in. Wish I had honestly. All the things I didn’t like about it got worse as it went on. I should have quit it. And if you don’t like Educated you should move on. There are things I read 10 or 20 years ago that I’d never be interested in now. And things I read now that would never have registered with me back when. You do you girl! ?
A book club read. I loved it. By the end I couldn’t put jt down. I’d recommend sticking with it. Also interesting to watch some of her interviews on YouTube afterwards.
Yes, yes, yes.
Keep going. The young woman has my admiration for never letting her life experiences to get in the way of being “Educated”! Caveat—I am a retired educator.
It was one of tough to get into at first but well worth continuing.
I got the same advice & had the same experience. Ultimately, though, it was worth the read.
Feel the same …
I quit about page 70. Didn’t grab my attention. Too much in the same vein as The Glass Castle and Hillbilly Elegy. So many books to read, just move on.
@June that’s how I’m feeling. I know I’m into a book when I can’t leave it at home and I’m reading in the car- not driving.
@June agreed! Oh look another book to remind people that being poor is f’ing hard. ?
I read both of them books but this one was a little too gross. Cutting fingers arms etc.?
@Anna I give her a lot of credit for joking about that when She spoke at a conference I was organizing. If I hadn’t been listening to the audiobook on a long drive and preparing for her conference appearance, I would not have been able to finish it.
@Aimee i didn’t know that so I returned to book early.?
@Anna well, I think after enough public appearances, she’s realized the level of catastrophic bodily harm is a lot for normal people.
@Aimee absolutely!
Yes, keep going.