There might be some better (primary) sources: Gosling say closures represent the realization of a dream that was postponed in Java's early days and resulted in

There might be some better (primary) sources: Gosling say closures represent the realization of a dream that was postponed in Java's early days and resulted in the invention of inner classes - "an uncomfortable compromise" that failed to provide the desired level of simplification. He notes criticism that closures are too complex, but advises people to read "through all of what Neal has written". https://www.theregister.com/2008/02/01/java_closures/ https://www.theregister.com/2008/02/01/java_closures/