 How did you get started in hacking/programming?
lg: I don't know about HTDP, it was keen to impose 'good practices' on me and I got bored.  Your first book on science didn't talk about lab safety, it talked about fun stuff to get you excited.  A first book on programming should be the same, every chapter should present some tiny fun program and explain it.  Is there such a book?  If not I might write it.