diff --git a/src/bin/not.rs b/src/bin/not.rs
index 7a7d530..9f42b74 100644
--- a/src/bin/not.rs
+++ b/src/bin/not.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use not_python::{compile::Compile, syn::ast, vm::Vm};
+use not_python::{compile::prelude::*, syn::ast, vm::Vm};
 
 use shredder::run_with_gc_cleanup;
 use std::{fs, path::PathBuf};
diff --git a/src/compile/list.rs b/src/compile/list.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b74a9ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/compile/list.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,380 @@
+use crate::{
+    compile::{Compile, thunk::{Thunk, ThunkBranch}},
+    obj::{prelude::*, reserved::*},
+    syn::{ast::*, visit::*},
+    vm::inst::Inst,
+};
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
+pub enum List {
+    Sym(String),
+    Ident(String),
+    Int(IntValue),
+    String(String),
+    If {
+        cond: Box<List>,
+        body: Box<List>,
+        el: Box<List>,
+    },
+    Lambda {
+        params: Vec<String>,
+        expr: Box<List>,
+    },
+    Assign {
+        name: String,
+        rhs: Box<List>,
+    },
+    Access {
+        expr: Box<List>,
+        access: String,
+    },
+    Update {
+        expr: Box<List>,
+        name: String,
+        value: Box<List>,
+    },
+    Return(Box<List>),
+    Call(Box<List>, Vec<List>),
+    Do(Vec<List>),
+}
+
+impl List {
+    pub fn thunkify(self, compile: &mut Compile) -> Thunk {
+        match self {
+            List::Sym(sym) => {
+                Inst::PushSym(global_sym(sym.clone())).into()
+            }
+            List::Ident(ident) => {
+                // Small gotcha:
+                // Looking up a name will either result in a local or a global lookup. If it's
+                // a local variable first, then it's determined as a local and that's the end
+                // of the story... except when we're at the top scope level, we're both "local"
+                // *and* global.
+                //
+                // This checks to make sure that it's both a local variable and that there's more
+                // than one scope layer.
+                let sym = global_sym(ident.to_string());
+                if let (true, Some(local)) = (
+                    compile.scope().layers_len() > 1,
+                    compile.lookup_local(sym),
+                ) {
+                    // get local
+                    Inst::LoadLocal(local).into()
+                } else {
+                    // get or create global
+                    // create_global only makes a new global with this symbol name if one has not
+                    // been created yet
+                    let global = compile.create_global(sym);
+                    Inst::LoadGlobal(global).into()
+                }
+            }
+            List::Int(int) => {
+                // push const
+                let (hdl, _) = compile.const_int(int);
+                Inst::PushConst(hdl).into()
+            }
+            List::String(s) => {
+                // push const
+                let (hdl, _) = compile.const_str(s);
+                Inst::PushConst(hdl).into()
+            }
+            List::If { cond, body, el, } => {
+                let mut preamble = cond.thunkify(compile);
+                // push CheckTruth here since there's not much of a better place to do so
+                preamble.push_thunk(vec![
+                    Inst::GetAttr(BOOL_MEMBER_NAME.sym),
+                    Inst::Call(0),
+                    Inst::CheckTruth,
+                ]);
+                let thunk_true = body.thunkify(compile).into();
+                let thunk_false = el.thunkify(compile).into();
+                Thunk::Branch(ThunkBranch {
+                    preamble: preamble.into(),
+                    thunk_true,
+                    thunk_false,
+                })
+            }
+            List::Lambda { params, expr } => {
+                // TODO(fun) : need captures for functions, built dynamically (or statically?)
+                //  - static is not possible, since captures are *created* at runtime, and there's no
+                //    instruction that will look up just one scope level - it's either locals or globals.
+                //  - an entire "create function" instruction is probably the best way to solve it, don't
+                //    try to be clever, just implement it like that (since I mean, python does too...)
+
+                // - push const
+                // (functions are unique const values so a new function will be created for every literal
+                //  function defined in code)
+
+                // This is pretty much the only place where a new scope layer gets pushed beyond the start
+                // of the program
+                compile.push_scope_layer();
+                let params_len = params.len();
+                for param in params.into_iter() {
+                    let sym = global_sym(param);
+                    compile.create_local(sym);
+                }
+
+                // Compile function body
+                let mut code = expr.thunkify(compile)
+                    .flatten()
+                    .to_vec();
+
+                // If the last instruction is not a return, or if there are no instructions, then return
+                // :nil value.
+                if !matches!(code.last(), Some(Inst::Return)) {
+                    code.push(Inst::PushSym(NIL_NAME.sym));
+                    code.push(Inst::Return);
+                }
+
+                // remap (Sym -> Name) to be (Name -> Sym) and make sure it's all in order.
+                let scope_locals: BTreeMap<_, _> = compile
+                    .pop_scope_layer()
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .map(|(sym, name)| (name, sym))
+                    .collect();
+
+                // this should be in numeric order since:
+                // 1. locals are created exactly once or looked up
+                // 2. scope_locals is a btreemap, keyed by names, which are in order from 0..N
+                let locals: FunLocals = scope_locals
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .enumerate()
+                    .map(|(index, (name, sym))| {
+                        assert_eq!(index, name.index());
+                        sym
+                    })
+                .collect();
+
+                let (hdl, _fun) =
+                    compile.push_const(UserFun::new_obj(code, locals, params_len));
+
+                // TODO(compile) : determine return value at the end of the body (preferably at parse-time)
+
+                // oh yeah, we were compiling a function body weren't we
+                Inst::PushConst(hdl).into()
+            }
+            List::Assign { name, rhs, } => {
+                let mut thunk = rhs.thunkify(compile);
+                let sym = global_sym(name.to_string());
+                if let Some(local) = compile.lookup_local(sym) {
+                    thunk.push(Inst::PopLocal(Some(local)));
+                } else {
+                    let global = compile.lookup_global(sym)
+                        .expect("name expected to exist someplace(?)");
+                    thunk.push(Inst::PopGlobal(Some(global)));
+                }
+                thunk
+            }
+            List::Access { expr, access, } => {
+                let mut thunk = expr.thunkify(compile);
+                thunk.push(Inst::GetAttr(global_sym(access.to_string())));
+                thunk
+            }
+            List::Update { expr, name, value, } => {
+                let mut thunk = expr.thunkify(compile);
+                let (hdl, _) = compile.const_str(name);
+                thunk.push(Inst::PushConst(hdl));
+                thunk.push_thunk(value.thunkify(compile));
+                thunk
+            }
+            List::Return(expr) => {
+                let mut thunk = expr.thunkify(compile);
+                thunk.push(Inst::Return);
+                thunk
+            }
+            List::Call(fun, args) => {
+                let argc = args.len();
+                let mut thunk = fun.thunkify(compile);
+                for arg in args {
+                    thunk.push_thunk(arg.thunkify(compile));
+                }
+                thunk.push(Inst::Call(argc));
+                thunk
+            }
+            List::Do(stmts) => {
+                Thunk::List(stmts.into_iter()
+                    .map(|stmt| stmt.thunkify(compile))
+                    .collect())
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct CompileList<'c> {
+    compile: &'c mut Compile,
+}
+
+impl<'c> CompileList<'c> {
+    pub fn new(compile: &'c mut Compile) -> Self {
+        Self { compile, }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_elif_el(&mut self, elif: &[CondBody], el: &Option<Body>) -> List {
+        match (elif, el) {
+            ([cond_body, tail @ ..], _) => {
+                let cond = self.visit_expr(&cond_body.cond);
+                let body = self.visit_body(&cond_body.body);
+                let el = self.visit_elif_el(tail, el);
+                List::If {
+                    cond: cond.into(),
+                    body: body.into(),
+                    el: el.into(),
+                }
+            }
+            ([], Some(body)) => self.visit_body(body),
+            ([], None) => List::Sym(NIL_NAME.name.to_string())
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'c> Visit for CompileList<'c> {
+    type Out = List;
+
+    fn visit_body(&mut self, body: &Body) -> Self::Out {
+        self.compile.collect_locals(body);
+        List::Do(body.iter()
+            .map(|stmt| self.visit_stmt(stmt))
+            .collect())
+    }
+
+    fn visit_stmt(&mut self, stmt: &Stmt) -> Self::Out {
+        DefaultAccept::default_accept(stmt, self)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_assign_stmt(&mut self, assign: &AssignStmt) -> Self::Out {
+        match &assign.lhs {
+            LhsExpr::SetAttr(access) => List::Call(
+                List::Access {
+                    expr: self.visit_expr(&access.expr).into(),
+                    access: SET_ATTR_MEMBER_NAME.name.to_string(),
+                }.into(),
+                vec![
+                    List::Sym(access.access.to_string()),
+                    self.visit_expr(&assign.rhs),
+                ]
+            ),
+            LhsExpr::Name(name) => List::Assign {
+                name: name.to_string(),
+                rhs: self.visit_expr(&assign.rhs).into(),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_lhs_expr(&mut self, _lhs_expr: &LhsExpr) -> Self::Out {
+        unreachable!()
+    }
+
+    fn visit_return_stmt(&mut self, ret: &ReturnStmt) -> Self::Out {
+        if let Some(expr) = &ret.expr {
+            List::Return(self.visit_expr(expr).into())
+        } else {
+            List::Return(List::Sym(NIL_NAME.name.to_string()).into())
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_expr(&mut self, expr: &Expr) -> Self::Out {
+        DefaultAccept::default_accept(expr, self)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_bin_expr(&mut self, expr: &BinExpr) -> Self::Out {
+        use BinOp::*;
+        let op_name = match expr.op {
+            Plus => PLUS_OP_NAME.name,
+            Minus => MINUS_OP_NAME.name,
+            Times => TIMES_OP_NAME.name,
+            Div => DIV_OP_NAME.name,
+            Eq => EQ_OP_NAME.name,
+            Neq => NE_OP_NAME.name,
+            Lt => LT_OP_NAME.name,
+            Le => LE_OP_NAME.name,
+            Gt => GT_OP_NAME.name,
+            Ge => GE_OP_NAME.name,
+            And => AND_OP_NAME.name,
+            Or => OR_OP_NAME.name,
+        }.to_string();
+        List::Call(
+            List::Access {
+                expr: self.visit_expr(&expr.lhs).into(),
+                access: op_name,
+            }.into(),
+            vec![self.visit_expr(&expr.rhs)],
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn visit_un_expr(&mut self, expr: &UnExpr) -> Self::Out {
+        use UnOp::*;
+        let op_name = match expr.op {
+            Plus => POS_OP_NAME.name,
+            Minus => NEG_OP_NAME.name,
+        }.to_string();
+        List::Call(
+            List::Access {
+                expr: self.visit_expr(&expr.expr).into(),
+                access: op_name,
+            }.into(),
+            vec![self.visit_expr(&expr.expr)],
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn visit_call_expr(&mut self, expr: &CallExpr) -> Self::Out {
+        let fun = List::Access {
+            expr: self.visit_expr(&expr.expr).into(),
+            access: CALL_MEMBER_NAME.name.to_string(),
+        };
+        let args: Vec<_> = expr.args
+            .iter()
+            .map(|arg| self.visit_expr(arg))
+            .collect();
+        List::Call(fun.into(), args)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_index_expr(&mut self, expr: &IndexExpr) -> Self::Out {
+        List::Call(List::Access {
+                expr: self.visit_expr(&expr.expr).into(),
+                access: INDEX_MEMBER_NAME.name.to_string(),
+            }.into(),
+            vec![self.visit_expr(&expr.index)]
+        )
+    }
+
+    fn visit_access_expr(&mut self, expr: &AccessExpr) -> Self::Out {
+        List::Access {
+            expr: self.visit_expr(&expr.expr).into(),
+            access: expr.access.clone(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_fun_expr(&mut self, expr: &FunExpr) -> Self::Out {
+        List::Lambda {
+            params: expr.params.clone(),
+            expr: self.visit_body(&expr.body).into(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_if_expr(&mut self, expr: &IfExpr) -> Self::Out {
+        let cond = self.visit_expr(&expr.cond_body.cond);
+        let body = self.visit_body(&expr.cond_body.body);
+        let el = self.visit_elif_el(&expr.elif, &expr.el);
+        List::If {
+            cond: cond.into(),
+            body: body.into(),
+            el: el.into(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_cond_body(&mut self, _cond_body: &CondBody) -> Self::Out {
+        unreachable!()
+    }
+
+    fn visit_atom(&mut self, atom: &Atom) -> Self::Out {
+        use Atom::*;
+        match atom {
+            Ident(s) => List::Ident(s.clone()),
+            Sym(s) => List::Sym(s.clone()),
+            Num(n) => List::Int(*n),
+            String(s) => List::String(s.clone()),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/compile/mod.rs b/src/compile/mod.rs
index ad89f39..249a102 100644
--- a/src/compile/mod.rs
+++ b/src/compile/mod.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,22 @@
 pub mod basic_block;
 pub mod error;
+pub mod list;
 mod locals;
 mod scope;
 pub mod thunk;
 
-use crate::{obj::prelude::*, syn::ast::Body, vm::consts::*};
+pub mod prelude {
+    pub use crate::{
+        syn::visit::*,
+        compile::{
+            list::{List, CompileList},
+            thunk::Thunk,
+            Compile,
+        },
+    };
+}
+
+use crate::{obj::prelude::*, syn::{ast::Body, visit::*}, vm::consts::*};
 use scope::*;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 
@@ -23,8 +35,9 @@ impl Compile {
     /// Compiles the given AST body.
     pub fn compile(mut self, body: &Body) -> error::Result<(ConstPool, UserFunRef)> {
         self.push_scope_layer();
-        let mut main = thunk::CompileBody::new(&mut self)
-            .compile(body)?
+        let mut main = list::CompileList::new(&mut self)
+            .visit_body(body)
+            .thunkify(&mut self)
             .flatten()
             .to_vec();
         // XXX TODO(compile)
diff --git a/src/compile/thunk.rs b/src/compile/thunk.rs
index 4c42ba3..e04801b 100644
--- a/src/compile/thunk.rs
+++ b/src/compile/thunk.rs
@@ -130,9 +130,9 @@ impl From<Vec<Thunk>> for Thunk {
 //
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
 pub struct ThunkBranch {
-    preamble: Box<Thunk>,
-    thunk_true: Box<Thunk>,
-    thunk_false: Box<Thunk>,
+    pub(crate) preamble: Box<Thunk>,
+    pub(crate) thunk_true: Box<Thunk>,
+    pub(crate) thunk_false: Box<Thunk>,
 }
 
 //
@@ -176,13 +176,18 @@ impl Flatten {
                 );
                 assert!(prev.is_none());
             }
-            Thunk::List(thunks) => {
-                for thunk in thunks.into_iter() {
-                    let next_block = self.this_block() + thunk.basic_block_count();
-                    self.flatten_next(next_block, thunk);
-                    assert_eq!(next_block, self.this_block());
+            Thunk::List(mut thunks) => {
+                if !thunks.is_empty() {
+                    let tail = thunks.pop().unwrap();
+                    for thunk in thunks.into_iter() {
+                        let next_block = self.this_block() + thunk.basic_block_count();
+                        self.flatten_next(next_block, thunk);
+                        assert_eq!(next_block, self.this_block());
+                    }
+                    self.flatten_next(next_block, tail);
                 }
-                assert_eq!(next_block, self.this_block());
+                // don't assert_eq here because the "next_block" really should be interpreted as an
+                // "exit_block"
             }
             Thunk::Branch(ThunkBranch {
                 preamble,
diff --git a/src/obj/reserved.rs b/src/obj/reserved.rs
index 80c1bc3..4cf6c09 100644
--- a/src/obj/reserved.rs
+++ b/src/obj/reserved.rs
@@ -47,10 +47,12 @@ name!(REPR_MEMBER_NAME, "__repr__");
 name!(STR_MEMBER_NAME, "__str__");
 name!(INT_MEMBER_NAME, "__int__");
 name!(BOOL_MEMBER_NAME, "__bool__");
+name!(INDEX_MEMBER_NAME, "__index__");
 
 //
 // Builtin functions
 //
+name!(APPLY_BUILTIN_NAME, "apply");
 name!(PRINTLN_BUILTIN_NAME, "println");
 name!(PRINT_BUILTIN_NAME, "print");
 
@@ -66,7 +68,12 @@ name!(LT_OP_NAME, "__lt__");
 name!(LE_OP_NAME, "__le__");
 name!(GT_OP_NAME, "__gt__");
 name!(GE_OP_NAME, "__ge__");
+name!(AND_OP_NAME, "__and__");
+name!(OR_OP_NAME, "__or__");
+
 name!(PLUS_OP_NAME, "__add__");
 name!(MINUS_OP_NAME, "__sub__");
 name!(TIMES_OP_NAME, "__mul__");
 name!(DIV_OP_NAME, "__div__");
+name!(POS_OP_NAME, "__pos__");
+name!(NEG_OP_NAME, "__neg__");