HN Books @HNBooksMonth

If someone is interested in Functional Programming, here are the books which I highly suggest everyone to read:

https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-functional-programming-P...

https://www.amazon.com/Structure-Interpretation-Computer-Pro...

https://www.amazon.com/Programming-Haskell-Graham-Hutton/dp/...

⬐ sevensor

Surprised this is the only mention of SICP. Although I don't know that I would have been able to handle it earlier in life. Perhaps it's different with accompanying lectures, but for self study it's quite a workout. I think it's worth trying, worth putting aside for later if you're not ready, and worth ultimately returning to. I'd be amazed if the undergraduates it was aimed at were able to appreciate it in full.

Richard Bird, Philip Wadler - Introduction to Functional Programming http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Functional-Programming-In...

Richard Bird - Pearls of Functional Algorithm Design http://www.amazon.com/Pearls-Functional-Algorithm-Design-Ric...

Christian Queinnec - Lisp in Small Pieces http://www.amazon.com/Lisp-Small-Pieces-Christian-Queinnec/d...

This is one good reason to learn functional programming. Functional programming is all about algorithms and the algorithms are generally laid bare to be easily seen (rather than hidden in the noise of syntax). I have found that being taught functionally programming gave me a firm footing in reasoning about algorithms.

For instance: I can write a sort in any language because I carry this little gem around in my head:

  quicksort []     = []
  quicksort (p:xs) = (quicksort lesser) ++ [p] ++ (quicksort greater)
      where
          lesser  = filter (< p) xs
          greater = filter (>= p) xs

Bird & Wadler is a great introduction to functional programming as well as algorithms and efficient data structures.

http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Functional-Programming-In...

(blimey, I had no idea my old copy was now so valuable!)