Author. She received world-wide notoriety as the mistress of the Italian Dictator Benito Mussolini and for writing his biography. In her lifetime, she became a well-known author of two dozen books and hundreds of newspaper articles in addition to being a supporter of the arts. Born as the youngest child to wealthy Jewish parents, her father was a lawyer and businessman who knew many people in high positions including the Roman Catholic Pope Pius X. Politically, her family was anti-socialism. She was well-educated by private tutors. She loved art and literature as well as the teachings of Karl Marx. As a rebellious eighteen-year-old, she married Cesare Sarfatti, a man 13 years her senior, and the couple relocated to Milan where they raised two sons and a daughter. Her husband was elected to the office of Mayor of Milan as a Socialist Party candidate. Weekly, she would entertain in her home intellectual people of arts and politics. In 1911 she met Benito Mussolini and started an affair with him. By 1918, she was a contributing staff member of Mussolini's newspaper, "People of Italy." The same year, her 17-year-old son was killed in World War I; in 1921, she published a book of poetry dedicated to him; a monument to honor him was build on the spot of his death in the Italian Alps; and in April of 1925 as the youngest recipient, he earned The Gold Medal of Military Valor posthumously. Later, as the newspaper's editor, she hosted the most intellectual Friday night salon gathering in the city of Milan. Her husband died in 1924. In 1925 she successfully published Mussolini's first biography, in England as "The Life of Benito Mussolini" and the next year in Italy as "Dux" or "Leader." The book had 17 editions and published in eighteen languages. She acted as Mussolini's speech writer and was part of the planning the March on Rome in October of 1922, which led to Mussolini's reign of power . Some sources credit her as one of the original planners of Fascism. As Mussolini's publicist, she developed many ties with foreigner journalists including writing articles for American William Randolph Hearst publications for six years under Mussolini's name, and earning a considerable income for Mussolini and herself. In 1925 she was the vice-president of the Exposition of des art decoratifs in Paris and the recipient of the France's Legion of Honor Award for her work. She became well-known in the Italian art circles as a critic and a supporter of new artists. In 1928 she converted to Catholicism. In 1929 she published her only novel, "Il Palazzone." By 1933 Mussolini distanced himself from her as their political viewpoints were different, and he had a new younger mistress Clarletta Petacci. At this point, she was removed from her position as editor of the newspaper. In 1934, she traveled to the United States and was received by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and this trip followed with her 1935 book, "America, The Pursuit of Happiness." Under the Nazi pressure, the Racial Laws in the Kingdom of Italy were adopted in October of 1938, thus removing the citizenship along with any governmental or professional positions to people of the Jewish faith. Even with the end of their close relationship, she was surprised that Mussolini supported this anti-semantic ruling, but he chose to support Adolph Hitler and his Nazi Party. At this point, Mussolini provided her with a passport to travel to sanctuary in Argentina. Before going to South America, she went to France the December of 1938 where it was said, "She came to France in 1925 as a queen without a crown, and now a beggar without a country." Her son had left Italy earlier but other members of her family could not escape. Along with her personal belongings, jewels and paintings, she took 1,272 letters she had received from Mussolini over their 20-year romantic and political relationship to be used as an insurance policy if needed. In South America she continued her involvement as an art critic but was not accepted with the same success as she had in Italy. While in Argentina in 1945, she published in English "My Faults: Mussolini as I knew Him," which is still in print some 75 years later. An Argentinian newspaper published the book in Spanish in fourteen installments. During her exile years, she lived in the United States, France and Uruguay as well as Argentina. There was a failed attempt for her to immigrate to the United States. During World War II, her sister and her family died in 1944 in the Nazi Concentration Camp at Auschwitz, Poland. After World War II in 1947, she returned to Italy continuing to write, but her lifestyle had changed as it was much quieter and not shared with the public. In 1958 she published her last piece, "L'Amore Svalutato." Her life story was brought to the silver screen in the 1999 film, "Cradle Will Rock," starring Susan Sarandon in the role of Margherita Sarfatti.