• Introduction; 1. Britain, peasants and Pashas: debating approaches to modernization in the post-war Middle East; 2. Imperial dreams and delusions: the economics of promoting Middle East development; 3. The British Middle East Office and the abandonment of imperial approaches to modernization; 4. The British Middle East Office and the politics of modernization in Iran, 1945–51; 5. The British Middle East Office and the politics of modernization in Iraq, 1945–58; 6. The British Middle East Office and the politics of modernization in Jordan, 1951–8; Conclusion.

' … a lively and thoughtful account of British 'development' efforts in various Middle Eastern countries during the years immediately following World War II … Kingston has written a succinct and perceptive memoir of a decent and dedicated band of individuals whose efforts evidently deserve the affectionate attention he has given them' International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies