Dive Into Python

Python Cookbook

Foundations of Python Network Programming (Foundations)

Learning Python, Second Edition

Python in a Nutshell

Python

Practical Python

Format: Paperback
Author: Magnus Lie Hetland
ReleaseDate: 06 August, 2002
Publisher: Apress
Rating:

A practical guide to the Python programming language
The program's object-oriented applications receive thorough coverage; but half the book covers project development and walks users through ten increasingly complex projects to demonstrate application choices at work. Magnus Lie Hetland's Practical Python provides developers with a practical guide to the Python programming language: while it does assume a degree of basic Python programming experience, it leads readers from the basics to the advanced concepts needed to understand datatypes, abstracts, and other concepts central to Python's datatype offerings.

Python - written in clear English.
Knowing the language and teaching it involve two separate skills. When I'm looking for a book on programming, I like to avoid anything written in the terse techno-jargon of a reference manual. I found 'Practical Python', by Magnus Lie Hetland by reading a sample of the book on Amazon. com. I knew well before I finished that it was what I was looking for. In this book, he performs a demystification of the language using lucid English and easily grasped examples to demonstrate what is happening and why it happens. He emphasizes finding the most succinct, elegant, fast executing code as he moves through the building blocks demonstrating how the magic happens. Staying focused, you won't run into any steep learning curves. It's probably the best written and most easily understood book I've read on beginning/intermediate Python, or any book on programming, and that includes Amiga Basic, Qbasic, Logo, Lisp, APL, Smalltalk, Actor, (remember that one?), Turbo Pascal, C++, etc. I wish there had been books like this when I was starting out. It would have saved me from sitting ankle deep in books on a particular language, switching from one to another to find which writer could explain something in a way that I could understand. I emailed Magnus Lie Hartland to compliment him on his book, and he responded, commenting on various points of my email and informing me that he will soon be coming out with a revised verson of the book, called Beginning Python. I notice that Amazon is already taking orders for it for when it is released.

I don't write reviews, usually


I always use Python in a hurry. If you believe one learns more from others than from books and you are a beginner, this book is for you. Python pampered me into a lazy learner, but who's to blame? To me, Python is like a friend I am deeply attatched to but never know enough, until I found this book. Yes, even beginners can start USING Python in a week or two. But he/she also knows the difference between his/her programming skill and the professionals'. Well, Magnus will help you catch up with them in a few days' joyful reading. Like Code Complete this book teaches you things you can only learn from experience but it achieves this by using a pedagogical (and practical) programming language, ten illustrative and generalizable projects, and good writing. I can't help you learning Python, but recommanding this book is the least I can do.