Learning to program

[Jonathan]

A friend of mine wants to learn to program. Python seems one of the most
suitable languages to start with. I think the Lutz et al book is good at
explaining the language to a newcomer, but I'd also like to find an
accessible book that explains program design, clarity, debugging, data
structures, etc in a Python friendly way. Suggestions? ("Programming Pearls"
and "The Practice of Programming" are just too much book for my friend's
needs and experience right now.)

Jonathan Coupe