Please rate these Python books

[alan runyan]

how are you approaching python?  what is your level of experience w/ python?
what kinda books do you like? reference, explanatory, or 'by example' ?  My
favorite is Essential Reference, David Beazley did a incredible job.

1/Programming Python 2nd edition @ O'reilly

Very big, has quite a bit of information (4-5 chapters) on Tkinter (which I
dont use at all), socket programming (which I do use), internet applications
(HTMLgen, ZOPE, etc).  The book is massive and has small type face, packed
full of information.  Examples tend to be a bit longer than Core Python.  If
you want tons of information and especially plan on using Tkinter, this is
definetly the best book out of the three.  I feel this book is very good and
tends to get a bit more detailed than Core Python, but I only use ~40% of
the information.

2/ Core Python Programming / Chun / Prentice Hall

I recommended a friend of mine this book, and I read quite a bit of it.
Very well laid out, nice type face, very good (brief) examples.  I would
recommend this book.  My friend read Core Python and Programming Ruby at the
same time -- comparing the two languages.  At first he didnt like it, but
after he finished it he said it was a *very* good intro and has a very idea
of python now.  *NOTE* he finished the book.  I wouldnt imagine finishing
Programming Python.  He also concluded Ruby didnt offer anything else that
Python didnt have (that he would use) and likes the elegance.

3/ Python Essential Reference / David Beazley / New Riders Publishing

My favorite python book, great reference book if you already know python, or
like Nutshell books.  type face is very small ;(  but its compact and full
of all sorts of goodies.  not as many examples as a newbie would like.  at
work, all the people who use python, snatch this from each others desk.  if
you like books and already familiar w/ python -- this is a must.

cheers,
~runyaga