When comparing On Lisp vs Practical Common Lisp, the Slant community recommends Practical Common Lisp for most people. In the question“What are the best resources to learn Common Lisp?” Practical Common Lisp is ranked 1st while On Lisp is ranked 2nd. The most important reason people chose Practical Common Lisp is:
The author writes in a way that's easy to understand, using clear examples to further demonstrate the concepts.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Free
A free version of the book can be downloaded on Paul Graham's website.
Pro Clear language
It's written in an simple, informal, yet articulate style.
Pro Concise and clear writing style
The author writes in a way that's easy to understand, using clear examples to further demonstrate the concepts.
Pro Lots of practical examples
From very early on in the book, the author introduces practical examples to help the reader fully grasp the topics.
Pro Provides detailed explanation of all major functions
Cons
Con Not a good starting placing for beginners
This book requires the reader to already have an intermediate-level experience with Common Lisp.
Con Sometimes relies on macros too much
Con Index is lacking
Practical Common Lisp is not a good option as a reference book due to the poor index. Some concepts that span a page or two are not indicated in the index.
Con Code optimization section feels a little light
