Wizard Book n.

"Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs" (Hal Abelson, Jerry Sussman and Julie Sussman; MIT Press, 1984, 1996; ISBN 0-262-01153-0), an excellent computer science text used in introductory courses at MIT. So called because of the wizard on the jacket. One of the bibles of the LISP/Scheme world. Also, less commonly, known as the Purple Book. Now available on the http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book.html

--The Jargon File version 4.3.1, ed. ESR, autonoded by rescdsk.