The Oxford Reader on Nationalism is an essential for any scholar of nationalism, whether seasoned or a newcomer. Two prominent figures in Nationalism studies, Hutchinson and Smith marshal together the standard texts (Gellner, Anderson, Breuilly and Hobsbawm) with engaging insights from other scholars like Charles Tilly, Arend Lijphart, and Nira Yuval-Davis into an indispensable volume that covers various strands in the field.
The book contains abridged works by all these figures and more, arranged categorically, each with a short evaluatory summary of the works contained therein. The only improvement that could be asked for would be for these sections to be longer and a little more critical.
The works contained in the volume themselves vary in quality, with some work from Geertz, Weber, and Smith himself presented without much critical commentary (where they so desperately need it). But even these (in my opinion) weaker insights are very useful and offer a good overview of these scholars' works for any reader looking for an introduction. Even for those well established in the field, the book is a helpful point of reference.