Book review: Soldiers, spies and statesmen: Egypt’s road to revolt

Revolutions are difficult to understand, let alone predict, and the recent revolt in Egypt was no exception. In Soldiers, Spies and Statesmen: Egypt’s Road to Revolt, Hazem Kandil presents the revolt as the latest episode in an ongoing power struggle between the major components of Egypt’s authoritarian regime. Gülay Türkmen-Dervişoğlu commends the book for its accessible style and content; a must-read for not only those interested in the January 2011 revolution but also for readers interested in the wider history of Egypt.