Strange Code (No Starch Press)
Friday, 21 October 2022

This book, subtitled "Esoteric Languages That Make Programming Fun Again"starts with a dive into the underlying history of programming, covering the early computer-science concepts, like Turing machines and Turing completeness, that led to the languages we use today. Ron Kneusel then explores the realm of “atypical” programming languages, introducing you to the out-of-the-box thinking that comes from these unusual approaches to coding.

Later chapters address the even more unusual esolangs, nearly all of which are like nothing you’ve ever seen. Finally the author helps you develop and use two entirely new programming languages. You may not apply these languages in your day job, but this one-of-a-kind book will motivate you to think differently about what it means to express thought through code, while discovering the far-flung boundaries of programming.

Author: Ronald T. Kneusel
Publisher: No Starch
Date: September 2022
Pages: 496
ISBN: 978-1718502406
Print: 1718502400
Kindle: B09WK69BN6
Audience: General
Level: Intermediate
Category: Other Languages

Topics include: 

  • How to program with pictures using Piet
  • How to write two-dimensional programs in Befunge
  • How to implement machine-learning algorithms using the text pattern matching language SNOBOL
  • How to decipher Brainfuck code like [->-[>+>>]>[[-<+>]+>+>>]<<<<<]
  • How to design and create two original programming languages

For recommended titles of unusual languages see - Programming Book Choices For Fun in our Programmer's Bookshelf section.

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Book Watch is I Programmer's listing of new books and is compiled using publishers' publicity material. It is not to be read as a review where we provide an independent assessment. Some, but by no means all, of the books in Book Watch are eventually reviewed.

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Print:1840789751
Kindle: B0B56LN77V
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Publisher: For Dummies
Pages: 912
ISBN: 978-1119889564
Print: 1119889561
Kindle: B0B5BBNW9L
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