The Only Woman in the Room: Golda Meir and Her Path to Power

by Pnina Lahav

A feminist biography of the only woman to become prime minister of Israel

In this authoritative and empathetic biography, Pnina Lahav reexamines the life of Golda Meir (1898–1978) through a feminist lens, focusing on her recurring role as a woman standing alone among men. The Only Woman in the Room is the first book to contend with Meir’s full identity as a woman, Jew, Zionist leader, and one of the founders of Israel, providing a richer portrait of her persona and legacy.

Meir, Lahav shows, deftly deflected misogyny as she traveled the path to becoming Israel’s fourth, and only female, prime minister, from 1969 to 1974. Lahav revisits the youthful encounters that forged Meir’s passion for socialist Zionism and reassesses her decision to separate from her husband and leave her children in the care of others. Enduring humiliation and derision from her colleagues, Meir nevertheless led in establishing Israel as a welfare state where social security, workers’ rights, and maternity leave became law. Lahav looks at the challenges that beset Meir’s premiership, particularly the disastrous Yom Kippur War, which led to her resignation and withdrawal from politics, as well as Meir’s bitter duel with feminist and civil rights leader Shulamit Aloni, Meir’s complex relationship with the Israeli and American feminist movements, and the politics that led her to distance herself from feminism altogether.

Exploring the tensions between Meir’s personal and political identities, The Only Woman in the Room provides a groundbreaking new account of Meir’s life while also illuminating the difficulties all women face as they try to ascend in male-dominated fields.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Jewish, Israel, Audiobook

376 pages, Hardcover

Published September 6, 2022

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting and eye-opening book that examines the life of Golda Meir through a feminist lens. I certainly learned a lot! However, I think the reader needs to already have a pretty sophisticated level of knowledge about Golda, as well as the history of Zionism and the creation of the state of Israel, to appreciate this authoritative and scholarly biography.

[Hermien · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good analysis of the life of a female politician and the compromises she had to make to make it in a man's world.

[Valectrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t know a lot about Golda Meir’a early life, and it is these sections of Prina Lahav’s biography of the former Israeli prime minister that I found most interesting. The detail it Golda Meir’a childhood in Russia and the Unites States and her involvement in the Zionist movement in the US and in Palestine allowed me to see Meir’a perspective as a Jewish woman trying to create a life for herself, her family and her fellow Jews. The feeling that her existence as was always undervalued and always under threat provided a different perspective on the events in the Middle East and the ongoing conflict between the two peoples with roots in the same land — the Israelis and the Palestinians. Learning about the singleminded focus requires for Golda to live the life she sought helped me see why so many Israelis, including Golda Meir, appear to be incapable and unwilling to consider the situation of the Palestinians who after all want the same thing that the Israelis want. Therein of course lies the source of this intractable catastrophe in the land of the former British Mandate.

This perspective was a good reason to read this book which for the most part I found disappointing. Lahav has many opinions about events and Golda’s actions but often provides little foundation to support those positions. She is constantly skipping around events and going back and forth between events. I seldom felt that Lahav had a consistent thesis or organizing idea to present to help us understand Golda Meir and her character other than Golda’s gender and how it affected her life. This gender focus could provide that overall organizing idea except that I often felt Lahav was forcing it into many situations without convincing me that gender was key to Golda’s view of herself or how she successfully navigated the politics of the early Zionist movement and then in the infant state of Israel, ultimately becoming prime minister. As Lahav states multiple times, Golda did not consider this a key factor in her life.
All in all an interesting read particularly at this moment with another Israeli-Palestinian conflict raging and the US looking at another presidential election with a woman at the top of the ticket for one party while the nominee of the other party constantly diminishing her for her gender.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read about a strong woman who stepped into difficult arenas. A little repetitive at times and I wish the part about how she got into politics was a little more robust. The impact she had on Israel and our world & international relations cannot be forgotten or ignored.

[Kacy King · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read about a person and area of the world I did not know a lot about - a little dry in the presentation

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pnina Lahav's lens on Golda Meir is through a prism we don't use enough when evaluating leaders past or present. Lahav takes us through Golda's life showing us how her gender and the biases of time, place and circumstance affect and permeate both her personal and professional decision making. Understanding the derision and humiliation Golda experienced, it's even more admirable to know her successes were in spite of the environment of the day and not necessarily because.
No one is perfect and neither was Golda but I found it most intriguing to read about how certain political/security/war decisions were made often as a result of Golda's own sexist biases. She tried to balance two modes of thought, many political camps as well as keeping herself in the game politically.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book club pick was a timely selection providing some historical context to current heartbreaking events. Lahav writes a biography of Golda Meir with a feminist lens that provides focus. At times, attributing thinking and motives to gender were somewhat restrictive. The context for Zionism, the founding of Israel, and the Yom Kippur War, provide historical backdrop to trying to understand today's events. A small aside was learning that Meir, as a child, was briefly a resident of Denver, Colorado.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regardless of your opinions about Golda Meir, feminism, and Zionism, there's a lot of history to be learned from this biography of Israel's pioneering female leader. With the current war in Gaza between Hamas & Israel, looking back at how the current situation arose was helpful to me. Even before the nation of Israel was created in 1948, Meir was one of the first to reject a two-state solution. Food for thought!

[Judy Chessin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was impressed with the great detail in this biography. But, I was put off by the chiding tone of the author who clearly disapproved of Golda for not matching her 20th century feminism. Tone seemed too chiding to me.

[Paula Gantz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent research and well-written, but occasionally marred by feminist hypotheticals and rhetoric. Nonetheless, well worth reading.

[Vader · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Schawn schoepke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting!

[Rachel Drake · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author muses a lot on Golda's motivations and what she should have done.

[Joanna Junkans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supremely thought provoking

[Aliza Golshani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learnt a lot about Golda and have even more appreciation of all she achieved and the life she lived. The book wasn't written in the most compelling way, but still a worthwhile read.

[Cindy Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting lady - definitely want to read Golda’s autobiography!