Let's Talk LISP

"If you're fascinated by LISP and have some experience with any LISP dialect, I highly recommend reading this book. It is written in a simple and clear format that helps the reader understand complex topics like 'Algorithmic Programming' conceptually, with the added benefit of plenty of examples and exercises that reinforce your learning. As a seasoned Common Lisp programmer, I had great satisfaction translating this old Lisp code into today's modern Lisp dialect. The process of translating the code made me feel as if I was tapping into some ancient secret coding wisdom—a hidden treasure that I could use as a secret weapon in my day-to-day tech job. The book's exploration of Lisp's roots and the history behind its concepts gave me a deeper appreciation for the language and its enduring relevance. It's a valuable resource for both beginners and experienced Lisp programmers, offering insights that can enhance your programming skills and broaden your understanding of Lisp's timeless principles

Here is a book that succeeds, without trying too hard, to teach its subject and to entertain the reader while it's about its business."Let's Talk Lisp" starts with an unabashed view of it's subject matter: "'Programming languages can be divided into two categories. In one category, there is LISP; in the second category, all the other programming languages!'" This is a good omen (no apologies offered; instead, unflinching belief) for the rest of the book that bears fruit in the following chapters. The chapters are well-thought-out in their organization and also in their placement. They are organized as follows: lesson, example, exercises, repeat. This organization tightly groups activity with source material and suited me very well. Also, unlike other books where I found myself skipping around various chapters, this book reads well straight through.What's fascinating about this book is also it's downfall: it reveals the strengths of Lisp 25 years ago -- map was a standard function on Lisp then. Nowadays, a programming language without this higher order function would be considered crippled (e.g. both Perl and C++ now have the map function), too bad for the community that such higher order functions weren't standard then, as well.It's datedness shows in other ways: CAR and CDR are used extensively -- almost exclusively, and tail-recursion is not mentioned at all (functions are defined using it, but the reader is not to learn what this technique is called). A person programming in the style of this book would be branded a dinosaur. How unfortunate! for otherwise this book is a joy to read.The joy of reading this book comes from listening to the author present each lesson. Each page has a secret joke -- unforced, easily missed at times, but there -- savoring the joke in the lesson helps one remember the lesson long after the book is set aside, and helps one pick up the book again with anticipation to learn the new lesson and to enjoy the new joke.It appears (from discussions on comp.lang.lisp) that many teachers still teach Lisp in the old-style. If they must do that, I heartily recommend this engaging book over the other, drier, less-well-organized cousins (e.g. avoid Wilensky's).A fresh rewrite by the author to include CLOS and other modern techniques (such as the LOOP macro) would receive my unqualified recommendation.