LISP has been jokingly described as "the most intelligent way to misuse a computer". I think that description a great compliment because it transmits the full flavor of liberation: it has assisted a number of our most gifted fellow humans in thinking previously impossible thoughts. - Dijkstra
Think Lisp is a dead language? Not according to G'bor Melis, who was just crowned the winner of the PlanetWars Google AI challenge. His bot "bocsimacko" dominated a field of over 4600 contestants, but was one of only 33 programmed in Lisp.
Bocsimacko debuted in the official contest ratings on October 22nd. Two days later, it was in the top spot and never looked back. The contest quickly became a race for second place. After seeing G'bor's performance, many participants commented that they would be taking a new look at the 50 year old language. Bocsimako is the proof that Lisp is best for AI algorithms, equipped one player. I'll have to learn more Lisp just to understand your code, said another, after Melis uploaded his source code at the contest's end.
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-from ZDnet blog
Source: http://xkcd.com/297/
I am a fan of this book.
You are welcome to join the linkedin fan club LoL (Land of Lisp)
Here is the description borrowed from Amazon.com
Lisp has been hailed as the world's most powerful programming language, but its cryptic syntax and academic reputation can be enough to scare off even experienced programmers. Those dark days are finally over, Land of Lisp brings the power of functional programming to the people!
With his brilliantly quirky comics and out-of-this-world games, longtime Lisper Conrad Barski teaches you the mysteries of Common Lisp. You'll start with the basics, like list manipulation, I/O, and recursion, then move on to more complex topics like macros, higher order programming, and domain-specific languages. Then, when your brain overheats, you can kick back with an action-packed comic book interlude!
Along the way you'll create (and play) games like Wizard Adventure, a text adventure with a whiskey-soaked twist, and Grand Theft Wumpus, the most violent version of Hunt the Wumpus the world has ever seen.
This book is available online. Here.
Various essays about Lisp and related links by Paul Graham.
As a well-known Lisper, he has written extensively comparing Lisp with other programming languages. He developed Arc though still in early stage of developement.
Where do we get the compiler for Common Lisp?
We can get it from http://clisp.cons.org.