Learning Python
by Mark Lutz, David Ascher · first published 1999
63% recommend24% neutral12% critical
Why HN recommends it
Thorough, in-depth introduction to Python that assumes no prior expertise and explains the why as well as the how; suits newcomers, and also intermediate developers who want depth and a handy reference.
Common criticism: Very long, with later editions around 1600 pages
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Describes the features of the Python 2.5 programming language, covering such topics as types and operations, statements and syntax, functions, modules, classes and OOP, and exceptions and tools.
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Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
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…learned how to do the various subtasks involved with your project, and then assemble it all together. I'd suggest that Python would be a good language to start with. I personally like the O'Reilly book Learning Python, though there are many options.
on “Ask HN: I want to learn how to code. Can anyone tell me how to start learning?” ↗Can anyone recommend anything from this list? I'm almost through Learning Python after having worked with Python for about 2 years and I really appreciate it. It goes into great depth on all of the commonly used features of the language. I think I got to appreciate it more precisely…
on “O'Reilly $9.99 Exclusive Best of "Ebook Deal of the Day"” ↗…http://diveintopython.org/ is a good place to start. (Or, if you aren't going to start learning in the immediate future, this is looking pretty promising: http://diveintopython3.org/ ) O'Reilly's "Learning Python" seems pretty decent too: http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596513986/
on “Ask HN: Econometrics, Bioinformatics, Game Theory. Python or R?” ↗…a language, the O'Reilly books are nearly always good in my experience. Here's one for Java (Learning Java: http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Java-Patrick-Niemeyer/dp/0596...) and here's one for Python (Learning Python: http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Python-Powerful-Object-Orient...)
…Haskell. Here are some good books to learn from: The C Programming Language (some people say you should start here, I'm one of them!): http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Language-2nd-Brian-Kernigh... Learning Python: http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Python-Powerful-Object-Orient... Learning Java: http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Java-Patrick-Niemeyer/dp/0596... I hope you do choose programming as a career, its been…
on “Ask HN: Is 30 too old to start in software engineering or CS?” ↗The most ridiculous example is the 5th edition of "Learning Python" by Mark Lutz. It's supposed to be an introduction to the Python language and it's almost 1600 pages long. The 1st edition was less than 400, the 2nd was 550, the 3rd was 750 and the 4th around 1200 pages.…
on “Ask HN: Why is every technology book 500-1000 pages” ↗…website has a good list of tutorials for non-programmers (http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/NonProgrammers) and for programmers (http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Programmers) The book Learning Python from O'Reilly is really good.
on “What is your recommended beginner's hacker training course?” ↗I used an older edition of O'Reilly's Learning Python and found it to be very accessible and well written -- I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned before: http://oreilly.com/catalog/9781565924642/ O'Reilly's Programming Python is not bad, but it's not…
on “What did you use to teach yourself Python?” ↗Whenever I start with a new language, I read an O'Reilly book from cover to cover. For Python, this is the one I chose: "Learning Python" by Mark Lutz.
on “Ask HN: easy resources for learning Python?” ↗I prefer Learning Python by Mark Lutz. I've read a ton of programming books, and I can't recall one the didn't recommend typing the exercises by hand, reading the code carefully line-by-line to understand exactly what is going…
on “Erlang creator on how to get started and learning to program” ↗I don't think that's a reasonable excuse. Mark Lutz's Learning Python does a very good comparison of a lot the features in the language as they are implemented in both python 2.6 and 3.x. That book was released in September 2009: http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596158071.do…
on “Show HN: Hello Python, my book about learning python, has just been released” ↗…http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/ Tute: Official Python http://docs.python.org/tutorial/index.html Reference: http://docs.python.org/ and if you must have a book (tutorial) buy @zedshaw "Learn Python the Hardway" or "Learning Python, 3rd Edition" (pink mouse) by Mark Lultz ~ http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Python-3rd-Mark-Lutz/dp/05965... For (reference) get Programming Python (pink python) also by Mark Lutz ~ http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Python-Mark-Lutz/dp/059615...
on “Ask HN: I want to learn Python, what could be a good book to start with?” ↗Learning Python 5/E (http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Python-Edition-Mark-Lutz/dp/1...). This book is great book for both intermediate and advanced developers. Very in-depth.
on “Ask HN: Best Python Book For Advanced User?” ↗Some books I've read and think good: 1. the whirlwind tour of python 2. the Hitchhiker's guide to python 3. Writing idiomatic Python 4. Learning Python.
on “Ask HN: Python Programming Books” ↗…On Lisp - Graham Hackers & Painters - Graham Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence - Norvig Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning - Bishop The Java Language Specification - Gosling, Joy, Steele Learning Python - Lutz & Ascher Programming Erlang - Armstrong Programming Ruby - Thomas, Fowler, Hunt Calculus - Spivak How to Solve It - Polya The Design and Implementation of the 4.4 FreeBSD Operating System…
on “ASK HN: Hacker Bibles” ↗