Exploring Python

David Matuszek said
This is a great book for both beginners and pros.

As a seasoned (i.e. ancient) programmer, when I want to learn yet another language,
I don't want a 1200-page encyclopedia; I want brief and to the point. This book is that--
it covers the basics in less than 180 pages. After that there are another 60
pages of case studies, then some appendices, including a 20-page Python summary.

Brevity might be bad for a total novice, who has to be told everything six or eight
times before it starts to sink in. However, the novice who uses this book
correctly--sitting at a computer and trying the things the book says to try--
will, I believe, learn very quickly.

I'm also impressed by the way the author covers important concepts--scopes,
recursive functions, the importance of style, etc. Again, the treatment is brief,
but also straight to the point and, more importantly, accurate.

While I really like this book as an introduction to Python, anyone who plans to
make substantial use of the language will probably also want one of those 1200-page
encyclopedias.

The only real downside I see is that the $52 price tag results in a high price/page
ratio, which some people use as a criterion when buying books. That's a shame,
because Exploring Python is worth every penny.