Ted Audio Collective.

Are you curious about the hidden side of everything that I have the podcast for you?

I'm Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio.

Every week we hear from some of the world's most fascinating scholars and thinkers

as we tackle a variety of topics like why the best employees can make the worst bosses,

why the banana is the most interesting fruit in the world,

and why we dread air travel even though it's a miracle.

Go ahead, listen to Freakonomics Radio wherever you get your podcast.

Hey everyone, it's Adam Graham.

Welcome back to Rethinking, my podcast on the Science of What Makes Us Tick.

I'm an organizational psychologist and I'm taking you inside the minds of fascinating people

to explore new thoughts and new ways of thinking.

My guest today is author and historian Tara Westover.

Many writers dream of making the New York Times bestseller list for one week.

Tara's memoir educated has been a mainstay at the top of the list for multiple years.

It's a gripping book about her upbringing in Idaho with a father who is against public education.

Starting as a teenager, Tara rethought her entire life, her education, her career,

her relationships with her family, and her core beliefs.

I met Tara a few years ago and every time I interact with her,

she challenges me to rethink something, from how to fix schools to how to fight polarization.

So I figured it was high time to invite her to this show.

If we have any listeners who have been living under a rock and don't know your story,

...