Book Recommendation

[Terry Reedy]

"Anthony" <sysfault at secureb0x.net> wrote in message
news:pan.2003.10.08.16.34.43.905723 at secureb0x.net...
> On Wed, 08 Oct 2003 19:59:33 +0000, Anthony wrote:
>
> > Hello I'm currently trying to read Core Python Programming, but by
the
> > looks of it im never going to get done the book is about 860 pages
long
> > real intimidating, but im guess im going to have to stick in
there. have
> > any of you ever read it? is it a good book? if not what do you
suggest i
> > read. Please help me i'm eager to learn :)
> >
> >                                                   Thanks
> Ok you guys are the best I'm going to stop bugging you now and get
to work
> there is just one more question i have to ask. "Michael Geary" said
read
> the tutorial on python.org, but Core Python Programming covers
everything
> should i read the tutorial on python.org anyway or just the book?

At 860 pages, CPP is either very verbose, uses huge type, or covers
more than is core python programming for any one learner. My standard
suggestion for learning Python is this: open either an interactive
browser or one of the guis that wrap or imitate one (Idle, PythonWin,
???) and open the tutorial in a browser window.  Then move back and
forth.  Skim stuff you already know, but pay particular attention to
the Python data model, semantics of binding/assignment, and the
difference between that and in-place mutation.  Try out questions that
occur to you, like "what happens if I leave an index blank?"

If CPP starts with similar material (don't know, have never seen it)
then you might start with that instead.  But tutorial gives you
Guido's view of language, which may be different from CPP's.  (I
personally have learned from getting multiple explanations for certain
aspects.)  It should take you about 2-3 hours (or maybe more since
current version seems expanded from 7 years ago).  So don't spend 2-3
hours deciding whether to read it or not ;-)

Terry J. Reedy