What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedEducated: A Memoir
Tara Westover · Book · 2018
If you loved Educated: A Memoir, start with The Glass Castle (Destin Daniel Cretton, 2017) — a film on the same thread. Below: 3 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Educated: A Memoir across media.
What hooked you in Educated: A Memoir was the harrowing, resilient journey of individuals breaking free from suffocating family legacies.
Films on the same thread
The Glass Castle
Destin Daniel Cretton · Film · 2017
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Poverty, Resilience.
Much like the protagonist of Educated: A Memoir, you will recognize the painful tension between deep family loyalty and the desperate, necessary struggle for personal independence and safety.
The Breadwinner
Nora Twomey · Film · 2017
Explores: female empowerment, survival, family loyalty.
If the survival instinct in Educated: A Memoir moved you, this story of a girl defying oppressive circumstances to provide for her family will resonate just as deeply.
Mudbound
Dee Rees · Film · 2017
Explores: Racial Prejudice, Post-War Trauma, Class Conflict.
The way Educated: A Memoir examines how environment shapes one's destiny is mirrored here, as families fight to overcome the crushing weight of social hierarchy and historical trauma.
Series on the same thread
Sex Education
Laurie Nunn · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Educated: A Memoir: Self-Discovery.
While tonally lighter, this series captures the same spirit of self-discovery found in Educated: A Memoir, focusing on the awkward, transformative process of defining your own identity.
Patrick Melrose
David Nicholls · Series · 2018
Explores: Trauma, Addiction, Upper-class dysfunction.
Readers moved by the raw examination of childhood trauma in Educated: A Memoir will find a similarly unflinching, complex portrait of a life grappling with past family dysfunction.
The Haunting of Hill House
Mike Flanagan · Series · 2018
Explores: Trauma, Family Secrets, Mental Illness.
The haunting, fractured family dynamics that defined Educated: A Memoir appear here, showing how the ghosts of a difficult upbringing continue to influence a person long into adulthood.
Chernobyl
Craig Mazin · Series · 2019
Explores: Nuclear Disaster, Government Cover-Up, Sacrifice.
The themes of sacrifice and overcoming systemic adversity that anchor Educated: A Memoir are central to this story of individuals standing up against a crumbling, dangerous establishment.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe · Podcast · 2026
Explores: untold historical anecdotes, curiosity-driven learning, American cultural history.
If your favorite part of Educated: A Memoir was the hunger for knowledge, you will appreciate these curiosity-driven stories that celebrate the power of learning and discovery.
Cleared Hot
Podcast
Explores: military life, personal growth, overcoming fear.
The relentless personal growth and grit displayed by the author of Educated: A Memoir is reflected in these conversations about overcoming fear and forging your own unique path.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Educated: A Memoir a true story about the author's life?
Yes, Educated: A Memoir is a factual account of Tara Westover's life. The book details her upbringing in a survivalist family where she did not attend a traditional school until she was seventeen years old, eventually leading to her struggle for a better future.
What is the central premise of Educated: A Memoir?
Educated: A Memoir follows the life of Tara Westover, who grew up preparing for the apocalypse and working in a scrap yard. The narrative focuses on her journey away from her family's unconventional lifestyle after she enters a classroom for the first time at age seventeen.
How long did Tara Westover wait before attending school in Educated: A Memoir?
According to Educated: A Memoir, Tara Westover was seventeen years old when she first stepped into a classroom. Before this point, she did not receive traditional schooling and instead learned skills like medicine preparation and scrap yard work while her family prepared for the apocalypse.
Does Educated: A Memoir focus on family dynamics?
Yes, Educated: A Memoir explores the complex themes of family and loss. The book chronicles the author's experiences growing up in a survivalist household and her subsequent pursuit of education, which creates a significant divide between her and the life she knew with her family.