Python 2.1 Bible

The documentation that comes with Python is woefully inadequate (pitifully lacking in examples, links and clearer writing), which means that any Python user will need to buy some extra documentation such as this wonderful book. Although this book needs to be updated now since the current version of Python is 2.5, it's still an extremely useful book with instantly useful examples. If they came out with a second edition I would snap it up. The writing style may not be a paragon of elegance but it is straight to the point. I would also recommend "Python in a Nutshell" as an extra reference.

I am a fan of this book! First and foremost, all the information I needed to write Python programs was there and it was easy to find. This means the book is well organized and the index is great. Don't forget to check out the book's website too. Secondly, the book covers topics no other book that I know touches. Read the TOC of Parts IV and V by clicking the book cover picture at the top of this page and you will agree. Thirdly, the authors have a concise style, which you will learn to appreciate after reading chatty Pythonist folks like Lutz. Bruek and Tanner tell you just what you need to know and they use only as many words as needed for this purpose. Finally, I like the fonts used in this book. They are special, even the one used for Python scripts, and they set the apparence of this book apart from your typical computer language book. The coverage of the OOP could indeed be expanded, and, most importantly, the book needs a new edition to cover the latest Python version (2.4 as I write this). I would buy a copy of the second edition on the spot.

Without a doubt the best and most helpful python book that I've read to date.

This is an excellent tutorial, all included topics are carefully explained. New features of 1.5 and 2.0 are clearly listed, also. Sometimes repetitious, as when says over and over in OOP chapter "can't access unbound class methods without having declared an instance" ( & you get to see the associated TypeError over and over). But for the most part, the book is clear and the right size (i.e. doesn't #include man pages or the stuff in Lundh and Beazley's books)2 caveats: In preface, Chun says "would like to have covered databases, XML, number crunching, graphics, ZOPE etc". Databases ,especially, is a decent sized omission, but he gives cites for further reading on all these topics in the Appendix. Also, there's no discussion of the programming environment: IDLE & ActiveState debuggers, emacs, vim, etc. (The Brueck/Tanner Python Bible covers all the topics in Chun's list of omissions, but that book skims topics like OOP).I'd recommend that anybody serious about python look at Chun's book (and the Brueck/Tanner Bible).

Looking to tackle Python? I've been shopping for a scripting language and juggled back and forth between tcl, perl, python and ruby... and this book sealed Python as the language for me. Whether you're on a Unix platform or using Windows, looking to build scripting tools, or full-blown gui interfaces, Python is the language for you, and the Python 2.1 Bible will bring you up to speed with everything you need to design, develop and deploy your application using the barrage of tools available in Python. Especially worth reading are the chapters on threading and regular expressions for you hard core folks looking for flexibility and performance. If Brueck's detailed treatment of the existing Python modules don't win you over, his in depth walk through of extending Python by building your own modules in 'C' will. No Python programmer should be without this book!