Tara Westover grew up on a family farm in a rural area of Idaho. Being the youngest of seven children, Tara knew that her family was unique. Initially, Tara and her siblings didn't attend school. She had never been to a hospital or a doctor's office or stepped inside a classroom. Moreover, she didn't have any official records in Idaho state as she was born at home and wasn't issued a birth certificate.

Tara's family always refused medical treatment and downplayed health risks. For instance, once, the family decided to visit their grandma in Arizona. However, on their way back, they encountered severe weather conditions, which resulted in a car accident. Fortunately, everyone miraculously survived despite not fastening seat belts. Tara briefly lost consciousness. In the following days, she continued to experience pain, with her neck frequently seizing up. Nevertheless, her family only trusted herbal remedies and spiritual healing, disregarding conventional medical treatments.

Gene, Tara’s father, thought the socialist government used education to brainwash and manipulate young minds. However, one day, Tara's grandmother came forward with an intriguing offer. She proposed that if Tara wished to, she could travel to Arizona the following day at five o'clock and enroll in a traditional school. Throughout the night, Tara pondered the decision, unable to sleep. The visions of her worried family searching for her deeply troubled her. When the clock struck five, Tara made up her mind and chose to stay with her parents.

Still, labeling Tara or her brothers as homeschooled would be an inadequate characterization. Tony, Tara's older brother, did teach her to read at the age of four. Their mother provided basic instruction in arithmetic and history for a few years. Nonetheless, homeschooling was abandoned when Tara reached eight years old. From that point forward, the Westover children took charge of their education.