Tara Westover Announces Second Memoir, 'Brothers and Sisters,' Exploring Family Fallout

Tara Westover is set to release a second memoir, "Brothers and Sisters," on April 13, nearly a decade after the widespread success of her debut, "Educated." The new book will explore the aftermath of her celebrated 2018 memoir, which detailed her upbringing in a rural Idaho survivalist family and her eventual departure.

"Educated" chronicled Westover's experiences growing up as the youngest of seven children in a strict, isolationist household. She recounted alleged physical abuse from an older brother and her journey to obtain a formal education, culminating in a doctorate in intellectual history from Trinity College in Cambridge, England. The memoir spent over two years on The New York Times nonfiction bestseller list and received acclaim, earning finalist status from the National Book Critics Circle.

In "Brothers and Sisters," Westover will reportedly address the conflicting memories and diverging narratives within her family following the publication of "Educated." According to the publisher's announcement, the memoir will focus on how family members disputed her recollections and denied events she had described, even after previously confirming them.

"'Brothers and Sisters' is a story of how memories are held in a family. How someone can know you are telling the truth but still say you are lying,” the publisher stated. “Ultimately, it is a story of what it means to grow up — to outlive the story that made you.”

Westover, who is approaching her 40th birthday, has received significant recognition for her work. In 2021, she was awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Joe Biden, cited for her powerful example of how the humanities can foster freedom. Her initial memoir was also notably included on the best-of-the-year lists of prominent figures like Bill Gates and former President Barack Obama in 2018.