Inductive Reasoning

[Ron Stephens]

The Python Cookbook is perhaps the best book on my bookshelf, in terms
of the enjoyment I am experiencing as I slowly study the book.

The code snippets include easy examples that even a newbie can
immediately appreciate. The explanations and discussions of the code
are clear, informative, and enlightening. The essays that introduce
each chapter are real gems of wisdom, experience and perspective.

The whole is greater than the sum of its excellent parts.

I usually absorb as much of a book as I can very quickly, in an orgy
of reading, but this book simply compels me to take my time. I am
thoughtfully cherishing each morsel because the book is exceptional
enough to justify such time, effort, and care.

I will come back to this book often and for years to come. As I grow
in my understanding of programming, I will find new value in
re-reading some sections. I am in no particular hurry to "finish" the
book, as some topics are beyond my current ability to understand, but
more importantly because I want to prolong the process and savor the
book's atmosphere and programming wisdom.

This book quite possibly transcends the programming category and
enters into the
arena of classical philosophy. But then is not all timeless
philosophic discussion grounded in some particular aspect of reality?