Each month Abington Library will feature a favorite book from a faculty, staff member, or student. They will give a brief synopsis of their chosen book.
Professor's Name: Meredith Gordon
Role in ASU-Beebe and How long have you worked here? Assistant Professor of Biology/Botany at ASUB since 2014
Clubs or organizations? Faculty advisor for Phi Theta Kappa and the Ecology Club
Other information about Meredith: I enjoy spending time with my husband, Brett, and two small kids, Naomi and John River. Some of our favorite family activities: nature walks, camping, and gardening.
Educated: A memoir by Tara Westover
Reviewed by Meredith Gordon
I’ve always enjoyed reading. I have many memories from when I was young spending the weekends on the lake reading and sailing. Typically, my favorite books are fictional: science fiction or fantasy. So, I surprised myself when the book I wanted to share with you all was Educated by Tara Westover. This memoir depicts the upbringing of Tara Westover in the mountains of Idaho. Her parents were religious fundamentalists and doomsday preppers. Her father didn’t believe in formal education and kept Tara and her siblings from attending any sort of school. In the book, Tara recounts many experiences helping her mom who worked as a healer/midwife and her father who did odd jobs and had a junkyard. Tension was present in the home and in her relationships with family members. She begins to wonder if education is the means to escape her isolation and experience what the world has to offer. The impact this has on her life and family relationships is yours to discover in this fascinating biography. Educated describes a background so different from my own, but the author and I have both found education to be so pivotal in our lives.
