Common LISP: A Gentle Introduction to Symbolic Computation

This highly accessible introduction to Lisp is suitable both for novices approaching their first programming language and experienced programmers interested in exploring a key tool for artificial intelligence research. The text offers clear, reader-friendly explanations of such essential concepts as cons cell structures, evaluation rules, programs as data, and recursive and applicative programming styles.
The treatment incorporates several innovative instructional devices, such as the use of function boxes in the first two chapters to visually distinguish functions from data, use of evaltrace notation in later chapters to illustrate the operation of evaluation rules, and “Dragon stories” to explain recursion. The book contains nearly 400 diagrams and illustrations, and 77 pages of answers to exercises. Advanced topics and “toolkit” sections, and a variety of complete programs, extend readers’ programming power.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Functions and Data
Chapter 2. Lists
Chapter 3. EVAL Notation
Chapter 4. Conditionals
Chapter 5. Variables and Side Effects
Chapter 6. List Data Structures
Chapter 7. Applicative Programming
Chapter 8. Recursion
Chapter 9. Input/Output
Chapter 10. Assignment
Chapter 11. Iteration and Block Structure
Chapter 12. Structures and The Type System
Chapter 13. Arrays, Hash Tables, And Property Lists
Chapter 14. Macros and Compilation

Appendix A. The SDRAW Tool
Appendix B. The DTRACE Tool
Appendix C. Answers to Exercises