Book excerpt: A biography of the Scottish leader by an author with “an excellent eye for political detail” (Scotland on Sunday). Nicola Sturgeon became involved in politics as a teenager, and then began a law career in Glasgow. She would go on to become Scotland’s youngest parliamentary candidate in 1992, in her early twenties. Considered a rising star, she eventually reached the pinnacle of Scottish government as First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party—the party she’d joined at the age of sixteen. This book explores her reputation for efficiency and shrewd political judgment, her family life, and her role in the country’s turbulent recent years with the campaign for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom and the Brexit vote. It is a portrait of a fascinating woman as well as an “illuminating appraisal” of her impressive career (Spectator).