This is a major new biography of the first elected female leader in Western history - the woman who inspired Margaret Thatcher. She served as Prime Minister of Israel from 1969-1974 having worked in government since the formation of Israel in 1948. Mining unpublished archival treasures, this is at last the authoritative biography of Golda Meir. As the first Iron Lady, for good or for bad, she created the model for future female political leaders such as Margaret Thatcher, who admired her. In this riveting new biography, she receives a warts and all look at her life as the most iconic female presence of the 20th century who stood at the cradle of the state of Israel sixty years ago.