{"product_id":"iceland-the-first-new-society-classic-study-of-modern-iceland","title":"Iceland: The First New Society - Classic Study of Modern Iceland","description":"\u003cp\u003eOur review of Iceland: The First New Society finds it most valuable to readers interested in modern Icelandic culture and the historical roots of a pioneering island community. Richard F. Tomasson offers the first sociological account in English of Icelandic society, and this reissue preserves the original University of Minnesota Press text. For historians, social scientists, and serious travel readers seeking a thoughtful, continuity-focused analysis, this edition restores an important, readable study that connects medieval traditions with twentieth-century social structures.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFirst English sociological account:\u003c\/strong\u003e Presents a comprehensive perspective on modern Icelandic society that remains a foundational reference for scholars and informed readers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistorical continuity focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e Emphasizes the continuities in culture and social structure that shaped Iceland from settlement to modern times, helping readers trace long-term social patterns.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForeword by Seymour Martin Lipset:\u003c\/strong\u003e Provides authoritative context and frames Tomasson's arguments for readers new to sociological approaches to national studies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFaithful reissue:\u003c\/strong\u003e Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to bring the original 1980 edition back into print, preserving the text unaltered for accurate citation and close study.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAccessible prose:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tomasson writes with clarity that suits both academic readers and educated generalists curious about Scandinavian societies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is best for readers who want a serious sociological treatment of Iceland rather than a travel guide or a contemporary political account. Graduate students, historians, and sociologists will find the analysis of persistent cultural influences particularly useful for comparative research.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReaders seeking an up-to-date political commentary or a heavily revised modern edition with new data should look elsewhere; this reissue reproduces the original 1980 work intact, so it is most valuable as a historical and theoretical resource rather than a source of current statistics or policy analysis.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvides a rare early English-language sociological study that fills a gap in accessible literature on Iceland.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFocus on cultural continuity gives a deep, interpretive framework useful for scholars and informed readers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe foreword by Seymour Martin Lipset adds scholarly endorsement and useful framing for the book's arguments.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eBecause this is a faithful reissue of a 1980 edition, readers wanting contemporary data or recent developments will need supplemental sources.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIceland: The First New Society\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRichard F. Tomasson\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOriginal publication year\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1980\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEdition\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinnesota Archive Editions reissue (unaltered)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForeword\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSeymour Martin Lipset\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubject\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSociology and history of modern Iceland\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eIceland: The First New Society is a valuable reissue for anyone studying Icelandic culture, social history, or comparative sociology. Its unaltered reproduction preserves Tomasson's original arguments and makes this foundational work accessible again; buy it for historical perspective and theoretical insight, but pair it with recent sources for current facts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this a modern updated edition?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, this is a faithful digital reissue of the original 1980 University of Minnesota Press edition and contains the text as first published.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho wrote the foreword?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book includes a foreword by Seymour Martin Lipset, which frames the sociological importance of Tomasson's study.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this book suitable for casual travelers?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot primarily; it is more useful to students and readers seeking sociological and historical analysis than to those wanting a practical travel guide.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Richard F. 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