In an interactive session with the interpreter, readers of this book are introduced to the elements of the Common LISP language as well as to issues of programming style.

Common LISPcraft contains:

Full documentation of every Common LISP function, symbol, and character.

Standardization notes highlighted in the text. These draw attention to language features that are unspecified by the definition of Common LISP, that depend on the documentation, or that may be different in other LISP dialects.

Detailed exposition of special Common LISP features, including multiple-value returns, structures, packages, and Common LISP data types.

Expanded treatment of recursion, plus full discussion of I/O, debugging, system functions, and compilation.

Examples of a variety of programming styles, with comments on good and bad style.

Exercises that provide directions for further explorations, with a Solutions Manual available upon request.

Two applied examples in the final chapters, to give the flavor of large-scale programming.

Appendices summarizing Common LISP functions and special characters.

Detachable pocket reference card for use at the terminal.