Ebook: Programming Language Fundamentals by Example

This is a masterpiece written by a pedagogue devoted to the subject. This book is a must-have for those who are serious about understanding computing algorithms and languages.

The author has written with a depth that requires regular reflection, as he writes in a succinct style, on topics that would possibly require (for some, especially undergraduates) reading other books to help understand parts of his explanations. He gives a nice history on the development of computer languages.

The reader must be able to put the book's project exercises into practice to benefit from what the book has to offer. It requires some programming experience, preferably in C, or better still, in Forth. It appears to have been written for a series of lectures given by the author. The Appendix shows a copy of a successful student's reflections on the course, and the student states that the course is intensive, requiring research into materials elsewhere to support his efforts. It is a book best needed by gifted post-graduates wishing to become experts in developing a compiler while creating a simple object language (called SOL in the book)

The book is best used while doing the course given by the author. However, it could still be of use to the experienced, self-taught (self-teaching) non-academic student. For the non-graduate, the book might warrant 2 stars; for the devoted, gifted, and practising student, the book could be worth at least 4 stars. I therefore give it 3 stars.