> Is this something that just takes a while to get down? Yes. You can practice in python reading this: [f,b,(),q,[1,7,q],[q],[q,r,6,1]] > Or are some peo

> Is this something that just takes a while to get down? Yes. You can practice in python reading this: [f,b,(),q,[1,7,q],[q],[q,r,6,1]] > Or are some people just naturally prone to the syntax? Lisp "code" is just a data structure (largely: nested lists). It's not the syntax that bothers you, it's dealing with complex data structures. You can see for yourself that they bother you no matter the actual syntax because the above form is python, and it bothers you as well. People who seem to pick up lisp quickly, simply have a better- rather, a more compatible background. If they lack your particular impetus, they might already be comfortable with complex data structures. Yes: People can be predisposed to "getting" lisp, but I doubt it is a genetic thing. > it takes so much effort for me to figure out what's going on There's nothing going on. In python, there's an invisible stratum between the code you write and the code the computer executes. You don't usually see the substrate, and if you aren't paying real close attention, you might often forget that it is there. Lisp simply lacks that invisible layer. If you can't get past the complex data structures bit, there are other languages that lack that stratum that use very simple data structures: Forth, for example.