'Khaled Fahmy has made an important contribution to the field. Students of Egypt, the Middle East, nineteenth-century military history, and civil-military relations should read this book.' The Journal of Military History

'... Fahmy's book represents an important and unique contribution to the social history of Egypt and will certainly command a permanent revision of the literature on Mehmed Ali's reign.' Turkish Studies Association Bulletin

'This book is based on an impressive amount of new research uncovering multitudes of documents from Egyptian archival material from the nineteenth century.' Journal of Palestine Studies

'...well-researched and carefully argued study...' International Journal of Middle East Studies

'It is a critical text for scholars concerned with contemporary academic debates pertaining to Ottoman decline and to modern constructions of Middle East nationalisms and Islamisms.' Religious Studies Review

‘ … Khaled Fahmy orients the focus of his research away from Mehmed Ali’s character and towards one of his great achievements: the founding of a modern army in Egypt … The book makes extensive use of the Egyptian national archives and itemizes much detailed information, but the over-riding argument is forthright. Egypt’s new army did not give vent to an emergent tide of pent-up nationalism against the Ottomans ‘as soldiers far from rushing enthusiastically to join the colors and defend the nation, came to view conscription as a heavy tax exacted by an already oppressive and intolerant regime’ … Fahmy’s study makes both interesting and stimulating reading which is certain to provoke much discussion.’ The Historical Association