SICP, LISP, AND OTHER NOOB QUESTIONS

So I went to my University's library to pick up the book you /prog/fags consider on the same level christfags regard the bible, SICP. The version they have was printed in 1986.  Should I even bother reading it or should I look for the updated version? 

Also, I started w/ python last semester.  Should I actually use LISP/Scheme(inb4 shitstorm), or try to apply the concepts I learn to python or something else? I am familiar with both emacs and vi and do not rely too much on IDEs, (However, I found IDLE to be great for debugging however.) If lisp/scheme is the way to go, is there any special software I need to/should install in order to start lisp/scheme programming?

>>6
if you DL racket, be sure to use
http://www.neilvandyke.org/racket-sicp/

again, i want to reiterate that there's basically no overhead in learning scheme. people who like it say it "has no syntax" which is basically true. if you can think in terms of mathematical functions and read english, you're halfway to being able to code in scheme already. i really think you should use it to do the exercises.

but it's probably also worthwhile to think about how you would implement equivalent things in python. many times, you will be able to do things very similarly to the book, but python idioms are different, or there is a better solution baked into the language.

sorry if i sound pedantic or whatever, i don't mean to be.