Hans Joas's book on Mead, despite have been written almost twenty years, is still the very best of its kind. If one wishes to discuss Mead's social thought has to have in mind Joas' interpretation. The depth, accuracy and scope of his analysis are truly impressive. By the way, Joas' Pragmatism and Social Theory is another important book for readers interested in Mead's influence on contemporary social theory. However, Joas' reading is just one possible, even if cogently argued, interpretation. For instance, I would suggest that someone approaching these topics for the first time, or even an expert on symbolic interactionism or pragmatism, to bear in mind Jurgen Habermas' Theory of the Communicative Action (1981) and PostMetaphysical Thinking (1989). It's a very much different interpretation, but it also deserves some credit. In a word, if you are going to read G. H. Mead for the first time you cannot miss Joas' book. It will be a invaluable source of information for years to come.