Python Bible recommendations?

[Martin Maney]

Lee John Moore <leej at dsl.pipex.com> wrote:
> I've got my feet wet with python by following a few online
> tutorials, but can't help feeling I'm 'missing a few links'.
> For that reason, I'm 90% decided upon buying David Brueck's
> "Python Bible".

I intentionally haven't looked at the other replies; based on past
experience this should be the contrarian review of the "Bible".

> I want to avoid the 'Teach Yourself...' titles because they
> focus too much on aspects I'm already familiar with as a
> programmer of other languages (C, C++ & Pascal amongst others).
> 
> Would other users of the group recommend this 'bible' or
> something else, for somebody like me just getting his feet wet?

I bought the "Bible" on the strength of favorable mentions in online
reviews and was quite disappointed.  Mind you, what I was looking for
was a solid *reference* book; tutorial content wasn't particularly
desired.  What I *should* have done was pickup the second edition of
Beazley's _Python: Essential Reference_, but in the end I was swayed by
the desire to get a different author's view of things.

As a reference book, I found the "Bible" to be incomplete in annoying
and important ways.  One that I recall was the coverage of apply() and
the new, improved f(*args, **kwargs) syntax.  I only managed to find
the "Bible's" coverage because I already knew an alternate keyword or
two to try; when I found it, it mentioned only the "args", with no
mention of passing in keywords args through apply, and no sign of the
new syntax at all... new in 2.0, IIRC, and this "Bible" claims to cover
version 2.1

There were other problems - modules only partially described (wonder if
that was more issues with describing older versions?), more missing or
unfindable features.  All of which is kind of sad, because the quality
of the coverage of what is there - and that seems to be a large portion
of the language - seems pretty good.  In particular, my impression is
that the "Bible" has more examples of usages than Beazly; of course,
it's a considerably larger and more unwieldy volume in consequence.

I'm not sure what level of material would be best for you.  Your
remarks about not wanting another "quickie introduction to
stored-program computer systems" suggests that you might enjoy the
_Python Cookbook_.  And you certainly ought to take a look at the new
Nutshell book, even though its heft makes the "Nutshell" appelation
seem ironic.  OTOH, if you really want the "Bible", I have a copy,
little used and in good condition, that I would part with cheaply.  Ghu
knows it's doing nothing for me but using up space.

Come to think of it, I owe the "Bible" some thanks for driving me back
to the online docs often and desparately enough that I finally got the
hang of finding things in them...