Friend wants to learn python

[EnderLocke]

I have a friend who wants to learn python programming. I learned off
the internet and have never used a book to learn it. What books do you
recommend?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Martin P. Hellwig]

EnderLocke wrote:

I have a friend who wants to learn python programming. I learned off
the internet and have never used a book to learn it. What books do you
recommend?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I recommend "Learning Python 2nd Edition" by Mark Lutz & David Ascher
(O'Reilly) its reasonable easy to read no "heavy language, but clear
concept and examples.
It does not require any previous programming experience, although being
comfortable with computer terms and knowing some basic concepts of
programming does make you read faster through the book.
My overall conclusion was that the authors know what they are talking
about and are honest in what they want to achieve.

When done with that the reader has enough experience to at least know
where to go further to learn more about python.

--
mph

[TPJ]

Why not start with Python's standard documentation? There are Python
Tutorial and Library Reference. IMHO it's the best place to start.

[Ron Stephens]

EnderLocke wrote:

I have a friend who wants to learn python programming. I learned off
the internet and have never used a book to learn it. What books do you
recommend?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I have just uploaded a podcast specifically about which tutorials and
books might be best for newbies to Python, depending on their
background. It can be reached at
http://www.awaretek.com/python/index.html

Ron

[brusstoc]

I would recommend starting with www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld .
He has a particularly good way of communicating the basics of Python.
Also available in a book if he needs that. PDF available from the
website.

www.bookpool.com has a large selection of books on Python. The "Python:
How to Program" is a good choice (IMO). (I got the book & CD combo - I
could have done without the CD. Basically the same as the book. Wasn't
worth the extra price to me.)

Awaretek does have a good list of tutorials.

FYI, if your friend is really wanting to learn programming, have
him/her check out www.htdp.org. Although it is scheme-language based, I
think they do a great job teaching real programming principals that can
be applied to Python - once you get the language down.