Brief Book Reviews: June 2025

BRIEF BOOK REVIEWS

Popular Books Relevant to Mental Health

Educated: A Memoir

Tara Westover; Random House, 2018

352 pages; $12 (hardcover)

Reviewed by Edmund S. Higgins, MD

Tara Westover grew up in rural Idaho in a family that did not trust doctors, schools, or the government. She was delivered at home, her birth was not recorded, and—of course—she was not vaccinated. Her father demanded unwavering adherence to his interpretation of the Bible and The Book of Mormon. He did not acknowledge mistakes (such as, the inevitable collapse of civilization with Y2K… Oops!), and had zero tolerance for deviation from his survivalist doctrine.

Ostensibly, Westover was homeschooled. She says she was self-schooled, learning to read by parsing the Bible and Mormon writings. Algebra came courtesy of tutoring from a kind brother. She was curious and driven, and, remarkably developed academic skills that eventually soared—clearly evidenced by the stunning prose of this memoir.

The story centers on her evolution from a loyal daughter steeped in family dogma to a critical, independent thinker—while dodging, as best she could, the violence of a disturbed brother and the conditional love of her parents.

The family, unsurprisingly, calls her book “fake news.” Tara’s mother even self-published her own counter-memoir, presumably “setting the record straight.”

As psychiatrists, we are well-acquainted with the variability of family narratives. Memory is not a static recording—it is shaped by emotional context, revised over time, and often weaponized in conflict. Is it possible Westover’s recall is colored by anger? Sure. But she has contemporaneous journals as primary sources, and she openly acknowledges inconsistencies in her own accounts. She even seeks corroboration when she can, and respects differing perspectives. All in all, the story remains a fascinating—if deeply troubling—portrait of a family whose love was contingent on belief conformity.

From a clinical lens, the book offers a buffet of psychopathology. The cast includes individuals who are moody, paranoid, volatile, and even sadistic. Could some of the characters meet criteria for bipolar disorder? Posttraumatic stress disorder? Depression? Quite possibly. But one thing is clear, the family’s cowboy-like disregard for safety and their unrealistic belief in physical invincibility, resulted in numerous traumatic brain injuries.

Rule of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict

Joshua Coleman, PhD; Harmony, 2021

336 pages; $16 (hardcover)

Reviewed by Edmund S. Higgins, MD

At the age of 22, Joshua Coleman, PhD’s daughter from his first marriage declared that she was done—done with his distant behavior and tired of feeling ignored. He got defensive, rationalized his behavior, and played the victim. The conversation did not go well. She withdrew. Literally. No contact, no communication, no replies to emails or texts. It went on for several years. He was devastated. Eventually, with the help of a wise therapist, he was able to reestablish a relationship with his daughter.

Coleman—a clinical psychologist—has since written and spoken extensively about his experience, both as a father and a therapist. His public reflections struck a nerve. Parents (and some adult children) started reaching out. He is now something of an expert on estrangement.

The causes of estrangement are many: trauma, religion, sexual orientation, controlling spouses, and more. But one common theme? Parents’ resistance to the new normal. Specifically, the challenge of relinquishing control and accepting their adult children as . . . well . . . adults. As the author puts it: “If you want a different relationship [with your adult child], it will require change on your part.” Not exactly music to the ears of parents who feel they are the ones who have been wronged.

This is a book for anyone wanting a better understanding of estrangement—not just its origins, but its emotional complexity. It is not a narrative memoir, per se. Instead, the author presents key dynamics of estrangement, draws from case studies in his practice, and offers guidance for reconciliation. The clinical insights are practical, the tone is compassionate, and the takeaways are grounded in both experience and humility.

Dr Higgins is an affiliate associate professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.