What is the best python book for experienced programmers?

Question

I am a fairly experienced programmer, mostly C, C++, Java and C#... Can you recommend any Python books that would help me to get the most out of my existing experience? Many Python books I have read good reviews about seem to be aimed at the novice programmer - I'd like to find something that "gets right down to business". There are many good resources on the web of course but I would like to have a real book that possibly goes a bit into detail about specific concepts, techniques and patterns that are specific to python.

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Answer 1

http://diveintopython.org/ is a bit dated but still useful.

Answer 2

Python in a Nutshell is a great book too.

Answer 3

I'll never tire of recommending Code Like a Pythonista: Idiomatic Python.

It is not a book but for experienced programmer it contains more than most books.

Answer 4

Starting with python 3 then Programming in Python 3: A Complete Introduction to the Python Language together with Expert python when you have to start delivering apps (packaging installers libs etc)

O'reilly Programming python (3ed) is good but very long and not sure when it is a tutorial and when it is a reference.

Answer 5

Always been a fan of A Byte of Python - made for both new and experienced programmers.

Answer 6

I'm not much for fancy book lernin', so I usually stick to the tutorials off the Python website.

Start with the python http://docs.python.org/tutorial/, get as far as you can go without boring yourself, and then just use the library (http://docs.python.org/library/) for reference.

Good luck learning - it's a fantastic language. It's basically pseudocode that's not so pseudo!

Answer 7

A lot of people recommend Core Python. I haven't ready many other Python books to compare it to, but I think it's well written.

The fellow who hosts the Python 411 podcast says if he were stranded on a desert island with only one Python book, it would be Core Python.

Update: My favorite Python book is now Python Essential Reference. It's pace is more suitable for experienced programmers than that of Core Python. Also, it covers things beyond language syntax that are hard to find in other Python books.

Answer 8

I guess what you are looking for is more a syntaxic book that will tell you how to do something you already understand. The best I can recommand for this is a small tutorial on the internet. Something like Advanced python will get you to the point and if you have further question, you just have to read the doc.

Answer 9

You could take a look at the fresh Expert_Python_Programming or Programming_Python does a very good job.

[Edit]: I am not sure why it doesn't show up the links. :|
[edit2] fixed -you had an extra "!" somehow

Answer 10

I like Beazley's Python Essential Reference a lot. I have the 3rd edition, but apparently the 4th edition will be out soon.

Answer 11

I sometimes like to graze the Python Cookbook over at ActiveState. It stirs my brain up and makes me think of things in ways I normally wouldn't. Recipes by certain contributors (e.g. Raymond Hettinger) are particularly instructive to study.

Answer 12

Coming from Java (and occasional Bash scripting), and learning how to do basic stuff in Python a while back, I had two books available to me at work:

1. Python in a Nutshell (Bought at my suggestion, because after comparing Python books online I thought this would be just what I needed)
2. Learning Python (Linking to latest edition, but I think we had the 1st ed)

Unexpectedly, I found myself more frequently using Learning Python, even though it seems much more like it's "aimed at the novice programmer"; something I was not, really. I just noticed I found the basic syntax stuff and examples I needed faster in that book.

Just my 2 cents about these 2 books. :) It may well be that Programming Python or some such is what you need.

Answer 13

People still read books?

I'd recommend going through a tutorial then when you finish or get tired of it, use stackoverflow and google to resolve questions you have about the language as they come up.

Here's the official tutorial:

http://docs.python.org/tutorial/index.html

And official documentation:

http://docs.python.org/

Answer 14

One thing I'd also like to mention here that helped me quite a bit in addition to the other great resources folks have provided here is "Thinking in Python" by Bruce Eckel. It is available at http://www.mindview.net/Books/Python/ThinkingInPython.html

Answer 15

How to think like a computer scientist ( http://openbookproject.net//thinkCSpy/ ) and Dive into Python as Steve Losh already mentioned. Two most amazing online references/tutorials ever!