Best book to learn Python? - avoid "Learning Python" if you really are a newbie

[earlneath at my-deja.com]

Listen, if you really are a newbie, you wont be able to follow "Learning
Python."

I bought this book and I tell you, _dont_ get Learning Python. I am alot
further along the road than the son (I read the python tutorials for
non-programmers that are linked to on the python site and I liked those.
I also run Linux). Still I am not a programmer nor a computer scientist.

But Learning Python, although recommended in some places for
non-programmers, concentrates more on comparing python with C than on
anything else as far as I can tell. I have real trouble soldiering
through, and I think alot of this is because the text is thick on
concepts jargon (both computer science concepts and the concepts that
are inherent to Python) but the concepts are not adequately explained to
someone who has never encountered them before. I had an easier time with
the first 2 chapters of "The C Programming Language" than I did with the
first 2 chapters of "Learning Python." Reading "Learning Python" just
makes me keep asking myself "wouldn't I be better off learning C first
and then trying python" - which is crazy because I want to learn Python
as a first language!!!

In article <20000227221041.A10967 at humbolt.nl.linux.org>,
  Gerrit Holl <gerrit at nl.linux.org> wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 27, 2000 at 02:55:55PM -0600, Quill wrote:
> > I'd like to learn Python, and I want to purchase a good book. I'd
like
> > one that is suitable for a beginning programmer. If anyone has had
any
> > success learning from a book please let me know. Please post
responses to
> > the group.
>
> I had success with Learning Python.


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