“Everything I had worked for, all my years of study, had been to purchase for myself this one privilege: to see and experience more truths than those given to me by my father, and to use those truths to construct my own mind. I had come to believe that the ability to evaluate many ideas, many histories, many points of view, was at the heart of what it means to self-create. If I yielded now, I would lose more than an argument. I would lose custody of my own mind. This was the price I was being asked to pay, I understood that now. What my father wanted to cast from me wasn’t a demon: it was me.”
This is going to be the worst review of all time for one of the best books I’ve read. She’s just, she’s so good at words!
I think if you pay attention at all to books, you will have heard of this, and it’s just as good as everyone has been saying. I can’t imagine many people not liking it. Westover is so open and honest, so compassionate and reflective in her writing. And the takeaways about personhood and identity, and obviously, education, were so impactful. We just read this for my IRL book club, and every single one of us loved it. We’ve read thirty-five books over the past four and a half years, and almost all of us think it’s one of the best books we’ve read since we started meeting.
Since I’m writing this so fast, I know I’m not going to do it justice, but even if I had time I’m not sure I could either. She’s so good at words and structure and all of it that it makes me feel inferior. I just want to bask in it and not try to explain it.
If you like reading at all you should read this. The End.
A review by Ashley.
THREE MINUTES TO SPARE!
Picking up my copy from the library tomorrow!!! I’ve been on the wait list forEVER
Yeah, the line at my library was way too long so I ended up just buying it. Totally worth it.
on my list for the reading women challenge this year!
I feel like you are going to love it.