Educated (2018) by Tara Westover is undoubtedly a noteworthy tribute to the enlightening experience we generally refer to as “education.” For me, however, this bestselling novel is an homage paid to something even more important – to independent, critical thinking. Ultimately, education is external and optional, whereas reasoning comes from within and can easily become obscured by schooling. The author and the protagonist of this memoir, Tara Westover, is surely blessed with the ability to think for herself.