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Golda: The Life of Israel's Prime Minister
Pocket Books MM paperback, 1973
- GenresBiography
Hardcover
First published April 1, 1971
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 7, 2025
A beautifully written book about an astoundingly effective, determined, and smart woman! Thank you, Golda, for all that you did for Israel and the Jewish people.
January 14, 2008
I had no idea who Golda Meir was before reading this book, and the author (Peggy Mann) did an excellent job of describing her childhood and younger years. She was born in the Ukraine and her father immigrated to Wisconsin (U.S.) after several pogroms and related persecution eliminated his carpentry business. There he worked and saved and eventually brought the family over. So, Golda grew up in here in America, but it was always her dream to move to Palestine. The rest of the story is about her education, her devout nature to restoring the Jewish homeland and the many other trials she faced.
She was an incredible woman, probably one of the most amazing women about whom I've ever read or known. The book makes it quite clear that she was very famous and respected throughout the world because she wasso genuinely kind and a tremendous leader for good. She had integrity, motivation, and love for all people and especially her persecutedbrothers and sisters. She wanted peace with all the Arabic world and did her best to make that possible. As I continued to read, my appreciation swelled because of her example and wonderful work.Also, I wanted to mention how much I learned about Israel's history.
Prior to reading this book I had read one other (Fantastic Victory by
Cleon Skousen) and it was mainly about the 6-day war in 1967. It was agood read, but limited in scope (that is, it mainly focused on the warand nothing else). Whereas this book, though it is a biography, is wonderfully crafted historical depiction of the founding of Israel! My emotions were closely tied to Golda's as she experienced (and the fledgling nation) the British cut-off in the 1940's when they abandoned their plan to help form the Jewish state. Likewise my
irritation and frustration was high during the many (extremely pointless and useless) UN agreements with the Arabs and the Russian/Egyptian betrayals of the Suez Canal agreements (post-1967 war). My heart went out to the Palestinians that were used and abused by the Arab aristocracy as a human weapon and shameful reasoning for continuously attacking Israel. I was disgusted with the terrorist acts in the many aircrafts, the Arabian boycotts of Israeli products and ships carrying their products, and their refusal to meet in person for peace talks!
It's incredible to me the lack of justice, that the other nations left them--those same nations who had agreements to help Israel during those times of crisis! How shameful of the French to cut off shipment of their planes and weapons supplies to Israel (in her dire hour of need) when they had been paid in full! How shameful of the United States to have enforced a 7% interested rate on military supplies AND YET DONATED FREE OF CHARGE to the Arabic nations declaring war and murder on all Jews and Israelis! It pains me and sickens me. Yet, Israel thrived, prospered, and moved along despite the threats and deaths. אלוהים ברך כלכם!
Through this book I've really come to appreciate the struggles and history of the Israeli nation and her citizens. I've been moved by their struggle, their trials, and their perseverance. I've developed a profound respect for Golda Meir and her life, for everything she did to govern and enhance survival and prosperity for all the people of Israel--Arab and Jew alike. Indeed, the things I've learned from my reading have moved me to seek more understanding about current Israel and her history.
She was an incredible woman, probably one of the most amazing women about whom I've ever read or known. The book makes it quite clear that she was very famous and respected throughout the world because she wasso genuinely kind and a tremendous leader for good. She had integrity, motivation, and love for all people and especially her persecutedbrothers and sisters. She wanted peace with all the Arabic world and did her best to make that possible. As I continued to read, my appreciation swelled because of her example and wonderful work.Also, I wanted to mention how much I learned about Israel's history.
Prior to reading this book I had read one other (Fantastic Victory by
Cleon Skousen) and it was mainly about the 6-day war in 1967. It was agood read, but limited in scope (that is, it mainly focused on the warand nothing else). Whereas this book, though it is a biography, is wonderfully crafted historical depiction of the founding of Israel! My emotions were closely tied to Golda's as she experienced (and the fledgling nation) the British cut-off in the 1940's when they abandoned their plan to help form the Jewish state. Likewise my
irritation and frustration was high during the many (extremely pointless and useless) UN agreements with the Arabs and the Russian/Egyptian betrayals of the Suez Canal agreements (post-1967 war). My heart went out to the Palestinians that were used and abused by the Arab aristocracy as a human weapon and shameful reasoning for continuously attacking Israel. I was disgusted with the terrorist acts in the many aircrafts, the Arabian boycotts of Israeli products and ships carrying their products, and their refusal to meet in person for peace talks!
It's incredible to me the lack of justice, that the other nations left them--those same nations who had agreements to help Israel during those times of crisis! How shameful of the French to cut off shipment of their planes and weapons supplies to Israel (in her dire hour of need) when they had been paid in full! How shameful of the United States to have enforced a 7% interested rate on military supplies AND YET DONATED FREE OF CHARGE to the Arabic nations declaring war and murder on all Jews and Israelis! It pains me and sickens me. Yet, Israel thrived, prospered, and moved along despite the threats and deaths. אלוהים ברך כלכם!
Through this book I've really come to appreciate the struggles and history of the Israeli nation and her citizens. I've been moved by their struggle, their trials, and their perseverance. I've developed a profound respect for Golda Meir and her life, for everything she did to govern and enhance survival and prosperity for all the people of Israel--Arab and Jew alike. Indeed, the things I've learned from my reading have moved me to seek more understanding about current Israel and her history.
July 4, 2012
I'll admit that I have 30 pages left yet to read . . . and it's likely that it'll remain that way. Proabably forever. It's not so much that I didn't like the book;I just didn't feel a strong connection to Golda Meir, which I think was the author's fault. I don't enjoy books that are written so as to place the subject on a pedastool. People are human and therefore, equal parts complex, interesting, and flawed. I thought this version waxed a bit lyrical on Golda. I think I would enjoy another book that was a bit more balanced and a lot more personal. Skip it unless you are looking for an interesting political read on the history and birth of Israel.
December 22, 2015
This book was pretty easy to read. I've already read Golda Mier's autobiography and I thought that book was better. The one thing I didn't like about this book is that it ends to early.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews