This entertaining book is designed for the reader who enjoys thinking about new technologies and how to use them in solving practical problems. It provides reusable software modules for specific applications, as well as the methodology and spirit required to master problems for which there is no obvious solution. This book is for AI novices who want to learn new technologies and increase their capabilities and for AI professionals who want reusable application-oriented software modules to use in building their own systems. Each chapter contains background information and theory, a discussion of sample programs, program listings and output, additional information on the sample programs, and suggested exercises. Chapters use engaging real-world examples such as speech and handwriting recognition using neural networks, natural language processing with an example database interface, expert system shells, computer chess game, chaos theory, and fractal generation programs. The text assumes a reading knowledge of LISP and the implementation ability of a set of graphics primitives used for simple graphics operations. While all examples are implemented in Common LISP, the examples are also portable to other LISP dialects. The neural network and fractal examples are also portable to other languages such as C and Pascal.