Books: Core Python Programming vs. Python Cookbook

[Neil MacMillan]

David, I've had your book bookmarked in my Python directory for a
little while.  Thanks, but I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to
budget for it yet. :p

Thank you everybody.  I've decided to get just the Cookbook.  I'm sure
that for anything that isn't explored deeply enough for me, there's
something on the web that explains it (and if not, it's nothing a
couple hours with the interactive prompt, the source, and the library
reference can't explain).  Besides, it's a lot easier to carry the
Cookbook around in my backpack library than Core Python would be.

And I must say, after buying textbooks, it's nice to be able to get a
book I'll actually enjoy for 1/5 the price of a text.

Neil M.

mertz at gnosis.cx (David Mertz) wrote in message news:<mailman.1041965120.8388.python-list at python.org>...
> sir_penguin.geo at yahoo.com (Neil MacMillan) wrote previously:
> |I'm a 1st year computer science student, but I've been teaching myself
> |Python as my first useful programming language
> |Core Python for explanations of specific things...
> |I looked at Python Cookbook, which seemed interesting too.
> 
> Of these two, I would recommend Chun's book to someone just learning
> Python.  In fact, of the more than half dozen introductory books, _Core
> Python_ is probably my favorite, but _Learning Python_ and _Python
> Bible_ are both good (avoid the Martin Brown titles at all costs; all
> the others are OK).
> 
> _Python Cookbook_ is a really nice book, but it is aimed more at
> experience Python programmers looking for clever tricks and techniques
> that they may not have thought of.  I think a beginner might get
> disoriented by _Cookbook_.  However, I look forward to Martelli's
> _Python in a Nutshell_, which I'm sure will be an excellent
> introduction, but that's not quite on shelves yet.
> 
> Of course, my vanity has to proclaim that you should read my book,
> <http://gnosis.cx/TPiP/>.  On the big downside, you won't be able to by
> that on shelves until a couple months after you can get _Nutshell_.
> Still, you are free to download the text for personal use now.
> 
> Yours, David...