Help me become a great hacker
tjr: You might find The New Hacker's Dictionary to be useful for establishing some background history and terminology.For programming material, maybe take a look at Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, and see if it looks like a good fit for you.  The Little Schemer would also be a good read.Most important is to start hacking. Pick a language (Python, Ruby, or Scheme might be good starting places), learn how to write some trivial programs, and start expanding, seeking out more books and reference materials as you need them.