9-03-2019
If you do only one thing for yourself this month, let if be reading Educated by Tara Westover. It is a wonder filled book written by a lady that was raised in Southeast Idaho by a survivalist family. Tara’s father, a man possessed by his faith, mental illness and unyielding fear and hatred of the government. Her brother brutal and abusive. Home schooling consisted of helping her mother concoct healing oils and working in her father’s scrap business. No birth certificate was issued as an effort by her family to never allow the government to know of her existence.
Tara was born at home and never attended school until she was seventeen years old. Destined to live the same isolated life as her parents, she decided she wanted something different. Her break from her solitary and abusive life came after self-study and admission to Brigham Young University. After graduating from BYU, Tara went to Trinity College, Cambridge where she earned a MPihil, then on to Harvard University as a visiting fellow and back to Cambridge to earn her PhD in 2014.
Although Tara’s march through a world class education is impressive, her real story is her ability find the courage and means to resist a predestined life. This young woman fought against all obstacles to become not only a scholar, but more importantly a strong, independent and healthy human. Her story is an amazing example of a human beings ability to overcome almost any difficulty to become what they wish to be.
It’s a beautiful book, please read it.
Hound Dog Taylor was born in Natchez, Mississippi on April 12, 1915 and died December 17, 1075. A true Blues Man who played boogie like no other. He said this about his music – “When I die they’ll say he couldn’t play shit, but he sure made it sound good.” That was the Hound Dog. He always played cheap Japanese guitars, his records are rough, raw and rowdy. But how they make you smile.
Hound dog was not your usual man. He was born with six fingers on each hand (known as polydactyly). The extra digits were rudimentary nubbins and could not be moved. One night, while drunk, he cut off the extra digit on his right hand using a straight razor. That incident doesn’t suggest the joy his music brings to me. When I’m down, one song by the Dog can raise me up. As he said as an introduction to one of his songs – “Me and BB King used to drive tractors down in Enola, but come every Saturday night, we used to have some fun, brother!” I’ve never been to Enola, and I never heard Hound Dog play live, but when I hear his music, I have some fun, brother.
Do yourself two favors, read Educated and listen to Hound Dog Taylor.
“Through perseverance many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure.” Benjamin Disraeli
Go well, David
David R. Davis - Author 