Golda Meir

Women leaders of the twentieth and twenty first centuries have powerfully influenced the course of major political events and have spearheaded social change on an international scales. Some women were elected to public office and others were appointed to key positions in government. Some were leaders who served in the private sector. All were products of their times and made an indelible mark on those times.









ISBN-13: 9780761449607
Author: Jean F. Blashfield
Publisher: Cavendish, Marshall Corporation
Publication date: 09/01/2010

Editorial Reviews - Children's Literature

There is a popular quote by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich which says, "Well-behaved women rarely make history." While one might argue the meaning of "well-behaved," it is true that powerful women have rarely done so without creating some controversy among their peers. Persecuted for her Jewish religion from her earliest memory, Golda Meir never took the conventional path of other women in the early 1900s. From a young age, she was determined to work on social causes. When her mother refused to send her to high school, Golda put together the money needed to move in with her older sister in Denver. Later, she began speaking publicly on the plight of the Jews and in particular, the idea of a Jewish homeland. In1921, with her new husband and sister, Golda left the United States to work in a kibbutz in Palestine.

Chosen early on to represent her kibbutz, Golda was soon involved in increasingly responsible positions, first in the Labor Zionist Movement and later in key positions in the struggle to create and establish Israel. Always a workaholic, Golda was an instrumental part of the early governing of Israel. Ambassador to the Soviet Union, first Minister of Labor, Foreign Minister and finally, Israel's Prime Minister for ten years, Golda never gave up and never lost her vision. Part of the six-title "Leading Women" series, this book provides an even-handed look at the trials and tribulations of this accomplished woman. Side bars throughout help explain background issues central to understanding the issues at hand, a timeline aids in summarizing key moments, source notes detail the author's resources, and a bibliography provides middle and high school readers with additional information in which to find out more. A highly recommend resource. Reviewer: Kris Sauer.