Bruce earlier emailed about trying to read this book but struggled with not having basics like fold laws and list induction. It turns out there's still a lot to gain from the book even if the mathematical content is out of grasp for now. I've written up some tips on how to get started: http://www.atamo.com/blog/how-to-read-pearls-by-richard-bird-1/ The preamble is a bit long but it helps to keep the big picture firmly in mind. -- Kim-Ee