Eugene Rogan's book on Transjordan in the later Ottoman period offers a narrative andan analysis that will interest Middle East historians in various fields. Using central Ottomanarchives, local Jordanian records and memoirs and European accounts, Rogan paints an intriguingand nuanced picture of a frontier society's experience of incorporation into the modernstate. The book frames its material in a way that allows historians in other fields to compare theTransjordanian experience to their own specialized areas. The author's major thesis is thatthe modern state was introduced into Transjordan by the Ottomans and their associates in the19th century, laying the groundwork for the redefinition of the country as a political entity by theBritish and Hashemites after World War I. In arguing his thesis, Rogan is sensitive to regionalvariations in local society and politics. Each of the עAjlun, Salt, and Karak districts isfinely drawn, allowing the reader to understand the distinct features of each district'sengagement with late-Ottoman modernity. The book explores the indigenous population'srelationship with newly arrived immigrants, colonists, merchants, and missionaries. Themes ofgeneral historical interest include state formation, population movements, integration into regionalmarkets, crystallization of modern identities, and the creation of new forms of consciousness. Theicing on the cake is Rogan's fluent prose and nimble use of character sketches, whichtogether make this one of those rare scholarly books that is also a pleasure to read.