This book is an introduction to computer programming for non-scientific applications using SNOBOL, a computer language that runs on both mainframe and microcomputers and is particularly suitable for use in the humanities. Eight chapters cover all relevant aspects of SNOBOL and each contains example programs and a set of exercises. Chapter 9 introduces SPITBOL, a commonly-used superset of SNOBOL. The book ends with some hints on how to detect errors in the language and some suggested applications for SNOBOL on microcomputers as well as mainframes. Developed from a programming course given by the author at Oxford, this book should appeal to researchers in the humanities as well as to students.