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I would like to know as well. I would also be interested in opinions about "Lisp system implementation by Nils M Holm". I tried to read "Lisp in small pieces" a

I would like to know as well. I would also be interested in opinions about "Lisp system implementation by Nils M Holm". I tried to read "Lisp in small pieces" at least 3 times but never managed to go further than the 1st chapter. I find the prose pedantic and often it doesn't go straight to the point that is the objective of the chapter. Maybe this is an issue due to the translation from French. In any case I find it a very heavy read. I have the feeling that the contents of the book could be easily condensed in half the pages.

coryrc 6y ago
IMO the point of the prose is to explain each concept so thoroughly that the concept and implementation go from "this is beyond me" to "of course it works this way, it's obvious" for each and every chapter. It could maybe be shortened, then maybe not everyone could have that experience.
agumonkey 6y ago
I found the style a bit difficult too.
philzook 6y ago
I have also bounced off of LiSP a couple times
Jtsummers 6y ago
I've also attempted it several times. If I were not so burnt out on programming at the moment (WFH is not a vacation, and I desperately need one) I'd probably have made it through this last time. Maybe, like all those SICP study groups, someone should make a LiSP study group to help keep people engaged and moving.
- agumonkey 6y ago
  what part are you stuck on ?
  - Jtsummers 6y ago
    Actually, I was making good headway with this last attempt. I just burned out on programming (generally), not specific to the text. And since I don't want to program right now, there's no point in trying to progress through the book. An earlier attempt failed entirely because of that (reading and not doing), other times I stalled out because I just didn't understand it. Generally I've found more advanced material requires a lot of "steeping" in my mind before it clicks. I was literally in my 4th year of college before Calculus finally actually clicked in my brain, this book seems to have the same issue. My first couple times I just didn't understand what I was reading, and I put it down (for many years actually, time flies). When I picked it up this time I honestly don't know what my issue was with comprehending it before. In the intervening years I did a much deeper dive into using Common Lisp as my hobby language, and I think that's helped a lot. What I'm reading connects better with the practice I've had in using a Lisp. Similar to calculus, I had spent a couple years applying it (not just studying it) and when I went back and reexamined some basic materials everything just fell into place in my mind.
    - agumonkey 6y ago
      Same here. Time did half the work. Revisiting the book every year or so made me click.

coryrc 6y ago

IMO the point of the prose is to explain each concept so thoroughly that the concept and implementation go from "this is beyond me" to "of course it works this way, it's obvious" for each and every chapter. It could maybe be shortened, then maybe not everyone could have that experience.

agumonkey 6y ago

I found the style a bit difficult too.

philzook 6y ago

I have also bounced off of LiSP a couple times

Jtsummers 6y ago

I've also attempted it several times. If I were not so burnt out on programming at the moment (WFH is not a vacation, and I desperately need one) I'd probably have made it through this last time. Maybe, like all those SICP study groups, someone should make a LiSP study group to help keep people engaged and moving.

agumonkey 6y ago
what part are you stuck on ?
- Jtsummers 6y ago
  Actually, I was making good headway with this last attempt. I just burned out on programming (generally), not specific to the text. And since I don't want to program right now, there's no point in trying to progress through the book. An earlier attempt failed entirely because of that (reading and not doing), other times I stalled out because I just didn't understand it. Generally I've found more advanced material requires a lot of "steeping" in my mind before it clicks. I was literally in my 4th year of college before Calculus finally actually clicked in my brain, this book seems to have the same issue. My first couple times I just didn't understand what I was reading, and I put it down (for many years actually, time flies). When I picked it up this time I honestly don't know what my issue was with comprehending it before. In the intervening years I did a much deeper dive into using Common Lisp as my hobby language, and I think that's helped a lot. What I'm reading connects better with the practice I've had in using a Lisp. Similar to calculus, I had spent a couple years applying it (not just studying it) and when I went back and reexamined some basic materials everything just fell into place in my mind.
  - agumonkey 6y ago
    Same here. Time did half the work. Revisiting the book every year or so made me click.