I'm looking for something of the quality of our friend Jon Skeet's C# in depth book, but about Python.
Please leave any recommendations you have for Python books that do not cover basic programming constructs.
+2
A:
I recommend this book.
Python Scripting for Computational Science Series: Texts in Computational Science and Engineering , Vol. 3 Langtangen, Hans Petter 3rd ed. 2008. Corr. 2nd printing, 2009, XXVI, 758 p. 62 illus., Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-540-73915-9
Selinap
2009-03-08 16:07:40
+6
A:
If you want to learn about Python Best Practices maybe
is worth having a look at.
MrTopf
2009-03-08 16:43:59
"Foundations of Agile Python development" is a great addition to Expert Python Programming, read both of them. Throw in The Pragmatic Programmer and you got yourself an awesome set of books.
Tom
2010-08-31 08:34:53
+1 -- the Python Cookbook is just a list of short code "recipes" but you can learn a lot by reading it. Only disadvantage is that it's a bit out-of-date now.
John Fouhy
2009-03-08 22:25:53
+1
A:
I like Bruce Eckel's Thinking in Python, which is available as a free download.
Wayne Koorts
2009-03-08 19:53:19
+5
A:
I tried to reflect this by breaking the language down into
I. Language Basics. http://homepage.mac.com/s_lott/books/python/html/index.html#language-basics
II. Data Structures. http://homepage.mac.com/s_lott/books/python/html/index.html#data-structures
III. Objects. http://homepage.mac.com/s_lott/books/python/html/index.html#data-processing-objects
IV. Componentry. http://homepage.mac.com/s_lott/books/python/html/index.html#components-modules-and-packages
Maybe by skipping section Language Basics you can avoid the "simple language syntax/semantics" stuff. Not sure, of course, since everyone arrives with such different backgrounds. One person's "simple" is another person's baffling nuance.
S.Lott
2009-03-08 20:03:47
+1 - I'm in the process of learning Python, and I greatly appreciate these links. A typically terrific contribution.
duffymo
2009-03-08 23:57:58
+6
A:
I have found some very useful examples in O'Reilly's Programming Collective Intelligence (even though I am not working on anything considered "Web 2.0" which is mentioned in the book's subtitle).
MattK
2009-03-08 21:14:49
+2
A:
See this extensive list of Python Book Reviews Reviews of Books about Python
AwareTek
2009-03-09 04:38:23
+1
A:
S. Lott's links are outdated. I don't have enough rep right now to leave a comment, so putting in the right link in an answer.
http://homepage.mac.com/s%5Flott/books/python/html/index.html
Anshul
2009-12-04 22:53:11
+1
A:
Perhaps not exactly what you're after, but a good resource for learning Python is MIT's Introduction to Computer Science and Programming online course. It uses Python to teach basic computer science subjects, and includes over 25 hours of video lectures.
Joe Internet
2009-12-05 00:17:43
A:
I am surprised Core Python Programming by Wesley Chun is not mentioned here. It is hard to describe because it does cover the basics, but it goes so far in depth on those basics, that you really learn all the subtleties that make python such a beautiful awesome language. If I were to recommend any one to buy only one single book, it would be this for sure.
It does cover a significant amount of advanced topics, a lot of standard library features. Shouldn't be missing in any Python developer's shelf.
Tom
2010-08-31 08:33:13
A:
I really liked this one 
http://www.amazon.com/Python-Scripting-Computational-Science-Engineering/dp/3540739157
It assumes that you already know how to program in Python, and explains lots of interesting things about parsing and storing data files, numerical computing with Numpy, high performance code with Weaver and native function calls, plotting charts, interactive simulations, etc.
fortran
2010-08-31 08:50:14