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Python Book Recommendations-Beginners (2014-01-17) by Kirk Byers

decided to learn python, but which Python book should do you read?

I have combed through a bunch of the beginner Python books looking for good choices. Here is my reviews and recommendations; hopefully; This would save you some time and effort.

A few disclaimers, these reviews is assuming the context of a beginner-either someone totally new to programming or a rel Atively inexperienced programmer is the new to Python. If you were neither of these, then these reviews is probably not applicable to you. Consequently, while a certain book might is very good for the advanced programmer, it likely would is awful for a beginner.

Also I did not read these entire books nor does each book ' s exercises. Instead, I generally read parts of the introduction or preface, a large part of a single chapter, and then various other s Ections of each book. I also looked thorough the table of contents to analyze each book ' s organization. Finally, I read some of the Amazon reviews (mostly negative reviews) looking for valid criticisms.

In these reviews, I am going to refer to a total beginner as an individual who has essentially no programming knowledge. Note, there is nothing wrong with being a total beginner. Everyone in every field is a total beginner at one point.

"Learn Python" by Zed Shaw (3rd Edition)

Learn Python the hard-to-be-often-recommended book for the total beginner. The book was available free online and can be found at Http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book. The book consists of a series of exercises followed by study drills and common questions. The expectation is so you'll type all of the exercises line-by-line, ' with the ' help ' of this book, you'll do the INCR edibly simple things, all programmers does to learn a programming language:1. Go through each exercise. 2. Type in each sample exactly. 3. Make it run. "

I definitely had doubts when I approached this book-it sounded like a brute-force method of learning. Applying your knowledge are important, but are this an effective-to-combine and understanding? But then, I admit, the book drew Me in (just before this I had been reading Think Python which I was finding min d-numbingly boring).

This was a good book for the total beginner with a couple of caveats. First, this already know programming from another language (even if your is a beginner). Second, make sure the authors learning style works for you. If you want to apply what is learning to your own examples/problems or if you want more systematic theory Book is probably isn't for you.

"Learning Python" by Mark Lutz (5th Edition)

This was not a for beginners; Stay away from it. It's over pages, long and is not a easy read. The author is very knowledgeable and says interesting things, it is definitely not a beginners book.

"Think Python" by Allen B. Downey (O ' Reilly, 1st Edition)

I had a strong negative reaction to the book. The byline of this book are, "How to Think like a computer scientist" and this gets to the heart of what I don ' t like about The book. This book is very boring and academic-it felt like I was reading a manual. I view programming as a means of doing things-that you learn theory in order to being better in practice. This book has it roots in a university class, which also explains it boring academic style (I am not a fan of Universiti ES). The author also introduces topics at strange locations for he purpose of ' thinking like a computer scientist '.

Think Python is available in http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/html/index.html, but Personally I would stay away from it.

"Python Programming for the Absolute beginner" by Michael Dawson (3rd Edition)

This was for the total beginners and have an emphasis on learning by example. Each chapter starts with a example program, the author analyzes. Additionally, other programs is frequently interspersed throughout the chapters. The code for the examples can being downloaded online (note, the URL provided in the book no longer works, but it's pretty E Asy to find the correct website).

Python Programming for the Absolute beginner are logically organized up through Chapter 9. At chapter, however, the author makes a strange departure to GUIs, graphics, sounds, and animation (the author is int o game programming). These topics don ' t make sense for a beginner. Consequently, if you are read this book, you can stop at the end of Chapter 9 (unless you has a particular interest in the RE Maining chapters).

A couple of other notes on this book-this book uses Python3 (at least in the 3rd Edition). Consequently, if you use the this book and then you'll need a Python3 environment. The author ' s code would generally not work in a Python2 environment. The author also assumes that is using Windows. Note, for network engineers, I recommend this still use and learn Python2.

Summary, I thought this book is okay for the total beginner except that it uses Python3. Consequently, I would stay away from this book and learn Python2 instead (yes, some day Python3 would replace Python2, but Beginners is better served at the current time by learning Python2).

"Beginning python:from Novice to Professional" by Magnus Lie Hetland (2nd Edition)

I like this book-it is a good balance between readability and learning. For beginners (with some meaningful programming experience), I recommend so you read up through Chapter 8. While reading your should make extensive use of the Python interpreter. If your is a more intermediate programmer, then I would read up through Chapter one (chapters though) is generally D Omain-specific topics and I would skip them). This was not a for total beginners; It definitely presupposes a certain amount of previous programming knowledge.

A Few notes about the book. It is python2-based-there be references to Python3 (and an appendix on Python3), but it's definitely a Python2 book. The author also has a couple of annoying tendencies. First, he goes through various methods extensively (string, list, dictionary); This gets a bit boring. Second, he frequently users very short variable names and uses variable names that is very similar to built-in names (WHI CH can be confusing).

Summary:

If You is a total beginner and has never programmed before, then read ' Learn Python '. If You is a beginner programmer but has some meaningful experience in another language, then start with ' Beginning Pytho N:from Novice to Professional. '

Kirk Byers
CCIE #6243
Twitter: @kirkbyers

How to learn Python