Rating: 
Summary: A book that speaks YOUR language!
Review: Awesome python resource. Picking up the intrinsic details of python is made a SNAP with this book. *Finally* a book comes along that has relevant orginization from cover to cover. The book takes you through it all with so much ease you leave the chapters nodding your head. To add more frosting on the cake, the sections on applications, including the Tkinter GUI and CGI, are what make this book lie next to my 'bibles' on the shelf. They teach you why to do it, how to do it, and what you can do with it!This book is especially perfect for all of us perl/c fellows who want to stop putting off learning this exciting language. (you know who you are!) The book understands the position we are in! (and includes some helpful correlations c in many places) in a word: WOW.
Rating: 
Summary: Good introduction to Python, but don't buy it
Review: Lutz's book is a pretty good coverage of the material, and is worthy of the O'Reilly name. However, you're even better off buying Harms & McDonald's "The Quick Python Book", published by Manning. It's less dry, more interesting, and just a better book.
Rating: 
Summary: Geared towards first time programmers...
Review: I would have preferred to give this book 3.5 start, but oh well. I think my opinion of this book would have been better if I was a member of its target audience. I picked it up ( ) about six months ago, and I only had the option of either it or Programming Python (also by Mark Lutz). After getting through the first couple chapters I became a little restless because of the rate at which it progress's through the language. It falls into the same category as most other introductory level books, it presents both the language and programming as if never before seen by the reader. I ended up getting getting Beazley's Python Reference, which I was quite happy with. But the one thing I do have to give Mr. Lutz credit for are the "Gotchas" section at the end of every chapter. I think Python is a terrific language, and it incredibly fun to program with, but there are a few things about it that are a little... mmm... odd, i guess. Lutz points them out whereas in a reference type manual they would be presented and a feature of the language rather than something that might trip you up. There's also something to be said about his later chapters that try and present some of your options, as far as what you can do now that you know Python. A couple of other books I've read, i come away feeling.... "ok.... so what?" You spend all that time learning syntax and data structures, but there's no sampling of their application to anything. If you've programmed very little (or not at all) get this book, Python is an excellent language to start out on. You don't have to mess around with variable types and pointers which can be a little frustrating in the beginning. Lutz's book is the best to start out with.
Rating: 
Summary: learning python
Review: unlike other people who had such a wonderful experience with the book, mine was a complete disaster.The first chapter was dedicated to running the program, and modules files, in the second chapter author would give a code example and end it with comments like" we will explain the concept in later chapters" that turned me off cause if you going to use an example expalin it or give an example that's pertains with the chapter. furthermore, later chapters of the book, were written with sample code with no Explanation at all. what good is it going to do me? a code without Explanation.. Anyway i am looking for a more detailed book on python. If anyone can help me out please post a note. thanks
Rating:
Summary: Good Introduction, but limited
Review: Learning Python is a good introduction, but if you are serious about learning and using python, you will need this book AND the larger Programming Python. An example of Learning Python's shortcomings is __str__ is not in the index for Learning Python (__str__ is the default way to print). It IS in the index for Programming Python. I have found using both books to have all the information I need. Learning Python also has a pretty good introduction to object oriented programming and how it is implemented in Python. I haven't done a lot of OO programming and the description in Learning Python was readable and understandable. Another thing I liked about Learning Pytyhon is that the end of each chapter had interactive examples you could run to reinforce the ideas presented in the chapter. Clearly however, Learning Python is much better for beginners. And I must say, the index's of both book are pretty good.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction to Python
Review: Together with "Perl: the programmer's companion", by Nigel Chapman, this is one of the best introductory book I ever read. If you already know "Programming Python", the previous book of Mark Lutz on Python, and are concerned about the possibility that this book was just another messy collection of concepts and tips, relax: this is a completely different object. "learning Python" is a well-designed, well-written and concise book. It gives you all you need to write system administration utilities, Internet-related programs and other small applications. (Should you need a book on TKinter, the standard GUI module of Python, buy "Python and TKinter programming", by John Grayson, Manning publisher). Consider to buy this book because: - It is clear and well written. No struggles to understand the basic concepts and having the first programs running. - It is well-designed and well-structured. You can find the info you need in a snap. - You get a real understanding of Python, not only a description of its nice features. - It is concise. In a day or two you will be coding in Python. - It is a very good guide to keep on your desk. It is the missing part of the online documentation. - In describes how to perform the most common task with Python. You will not have to reinvent any wheel. - It describes a few important modules of Python: JPython, TKinter and COM. You can get a feeling of what you can do with Python (but, to go further, you will have to read the online documentation and perform a few experiments by yourself). Python is a very smart language and deserved a better book than "Programming Python". This is that book.
Rating:
Summary: Good starting point for pythoneers
Review: This is a nice beginners textbook for Python which deals with many deatails, so that it is also valuable for people who already know Python. Still it is not reaching up to the highest branches of Python art. That would be the task of a massively revised second edition of the other Lutz book: "Programming Python". And it has to be said: Python is a great language!
Rating:
Summary: Python deserves a better intro. than this
Review: Python is a really interesting scripting language--about half way between Perl and Java. This book isn't hard to read, but it's not very interesting or entertaining. It covers a lot of the details of syntax, but doesn't really illustrate what the language is good for or how you would solve real world problems with it. If you like foo() examples, you'll love this book...
Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction to Python
Review: I believe this is an excellent book for learning Python. The author's style is flowing and smooth, the examples well-thought-out, and he makes it really easy to pick up Python. Compared to Programming Perl (the camel book) which is dense and heavily syntax-oriented making you feel like you're wading through syrup, this book was a pleasure to read. Unreserved recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: Good Beginner Language
Review: I had no programming experience, and though I was worried at first to the many references to the C language it turned out to be an easy to follow book.
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