All comparisonsVS
Educated
Tara Westover
The Glass Castle
Jeannette Walls
Educated
Tara Westover
- Pages
- 334
- Focus
- A woman raised by survivalist parents in rural Idaho educates herself and escapes to earn a PhD from Cambridge.
- Best for
- Readers inspired by stories of self-invention and the transformative power of education against all odds.
- Style
- Reflective
The Glass Castle
Jeannette Walls
- Pages
- 288
- Focus
- A memoir of growing up with brilliant but deeply irresponsible parents who chose chaos over stability.
- Best for
- Readers drawn to raw, unflinching memoirs about resilience and the complicated love between parents and children.
- Style
- Candid
Similarities
- Both are memoirs about women who overcame chaotic, neglectful childhoods to build successful lives
- Both grapple honestly with the painful tension between loving your family and recognizing their harm
- Both became massive bestsellers that resonated with readers far beyond their specific circumstances
Differences
- Educated centers on the power of formal education as liberation; The Glass Castle focuses more on the author's grit and resourcefulness
- Westover's family is driven by religious extremism and paranoia; Walls's parents are driven by artistic idealism and addiction
- Educated is more introspective and focused on identity; The Glass Castle is more episodic and narrative-driven
Our Verdict
Read Educated if you believe in the power of learning to transform a life and want a story that proves it on every page. Read The Glass Castle for a more visceral, adventure-like memoir about surviving a wildly unconventional childhood. Both will break your heart and leave you in awe of what resilience can achieve.
Read both: 11 hours