Learning Python: Powerful Object-Oriented Programming

First off, Learning Python shows the relationships among Python scripts and their interpreter (in a mostly platform-neutral way). Then, the authors address the mechanics of the language itself, providing illustrations of how Python conceives of numbers, strings, and other objects as well as the operators you use to work with them. Dictionaries, lists, tuples, and other data structures specific to Python receive plenty of attention including complete examples.

Authors Mark Lutz and David Ascher build on that fundamental information in their discussions of functions and modules, which evolve into coverage of namespaces, classes, and the object-oriented aspects of Python programming. There's also information on creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for Python applications with Tkinter.

In addition to its careful expository prose, Learning Python includes exercises that both test your Python skills and help reveal more elusive truths about the language.

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And now that I've read it, I can highly recommend it even for experienced programmers. You will have to skim over basics in various chapters, but it's well-written and covers many topics, including 5-10 pages on 2.2's new-style classes, including static and class methods, instance slots, class properties, and __getattribute__.

It refers you to Python's documentation for the details of complex topics, but still gives you an idea of the concepts in play. For example, after a couple of paragraphs on instance slots, it says,

"... Slots are something of a break with Python's dynamic nature, which dictates that any name may be created by assignment. They also have additional constraints and implications that are far too complex for us to discuss here (e.g. some instances with slots may not have an attribute dictionary __dict__); see Python 2.2 release documents for details."

Which I think is a good compromise. They don't fill the book with details, but they don't simply wave their hands and give you no clue as to issues outside the scope of the book.

It is well-written and well-organized. It covers the core language well and gives a good taste for standard packages and many other tools including things like Pyrex and ctype.

(And you won't be disappointed with Python itself. A great language!)


Excellent introduction to Python   February 24, 2000
Alessandro Bottoni
111 out of 118 found this review helpful

Together with "Perl: the programmer's companion", by Nigel Chapman, this is one of the best introductory book I ever read. If you already know "Programming Python", the previous book of Mark Lutz on Python, and are concerned about the possibility that this book was just another messy collection of concepts and tips, relax: this is a completely different object. "learning Python" is a well-designed, well-written and concise book. It gives you all you need to write system administration utilities, Internet-related programs and other small applications. (Should you need a book on TKinter, the standard GUI module of Python, buy "Python and TKinter programming", by John Grayson, Manning publisher).

Consider to buy this book because:

- It is clear and well written. No struggles to understand the basic concepts and having the first programs running.

- It is well-designed and well-structured. You can find the info you need in a snap.

- You get a real understanding of Python, not only a description of its nice features.

- It is concise. In a day or two you will be coding in Python.

- It is a very good guide to keep on your desk. It is the missing part of the online documentation.

- In describes how to perform the most common task with Python. You will not have to reinvent any wheel.

- It describes a few important modules of Python: JPython, TKinter and COM. You can get a feeling of what you can do with Python (but, to go further, you will have to read the online documentation and perform a few experiments by yourself).

Python is a very smart language and deserved a better book than "Programming Python". This is that book.


Succinct Yet Thorough Intro To Python For Programmers   June 19, 2001
24 out of 28 found this review helpful

Mark Lutz and David Ascher deliver precisely the needed information to meet the objective stated on the cover of the O'Reilly text, "Learning Python" (Help for Programmers).

A succinct, yet thorough treatment of the Python programming language is presented in some 350-plus written pages that are well organized and facilitate the development of Python programs in a "Read and Code as You Go" fashion.

After spot reading the Chapters on "Getting Started", "Types And

Operators", "Basic Statements", "Functions", "Modules" and "Common Tasks In Python", I was coding and running my first text file I/O Python programs within the first half of a day. The authors concise presentation of the concepts definitely facilitated the "learning curve", which so often is an obstacle when learning a new programming language. The material was also indexed very well with clear index descriptions to easily determine what the topic was and where to find it.

What I found to be the strongest point of the book were the "Gotchas" sections, in which the authors discussed topics such as Python Language Constructs, Program Class Usage and Coding Practices to be aware of. I found the "Common Coding Gotchas" section at the end of Chapter 3 of great benefit in coding and debugging my first self-authored Python programs (As I learned, Python is definitely a language where you want to indent consistently, avoid the mixing of blank spaces with tabs and not forget the use of colons to denote decision logic). The application of these concepts alone were a great asset in reducing the "Learning Curve" for me.

The program examples provided reinforced the clear, concise concepts presented by the authors. The programs that I studied were suited to running in both a Linux environment (using Linux Python Version 1.5.2 for SuSE(tm) Linux 7.0 and Red Hat(tm) Linux 6.1) and MS Windows(tm) NT/98 (using Active State's Active Python(tm) Version 2.1).

Exercises presented at the end of the chapter were effective at reinforcing the programming concepts presented. With some supplemental tutorial material for non-programmers, this book could be used as an educational text for a Python programming class, particularly one geared for programmers with scripting language experience.

The authors did a good job of covering a number of topics important to application programmers. Object-oriented Constructs, Manipulation of String Objects, Operating System Module Use, GUI Programming Component Frameworks and Applications such as Tkinter and JPython are discussed to provide the reader a good exposure to the extent of the Python language implementation and its strenght as a robust, object-oriented scripting language.

The book is definitely an invaluable resource for providing the essential material necessary to construct your first Python programs, especially if you've had prior programming experience with other scripting languages, such as REXX, Javascript or Perl.

Definitely one of the best O'Reilly publications I've read to date. Kudos to Mr. Lutz and Mr. Ascher for their contribution to making the experience of "Learning Python" a fun and productive pursuit. Five Stars!


Excellent introduction to Python   November 23, 1999
Neil (Tokyo)
18 out of 22 found this review helpful

I believe this is an excellent book for learning Python. The author's style is flowing and smooth, the examples well-thought-out, and he makes it really easy to pick up Python. Compared to Programming Perl (the camel book) which is dense and heavily syntax-oriented making you feel like you're wading through syrup, this book was a pleasure to read.

Unreserved recommendation.


Pythonesque - a major contribution to learning programming with Python   November 10, 2007
Brian DeLacey
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I am really impressed by the 3rd edition of Mark Lutz's "Learning Python" book. It's a comprehensive introduction to the language. If you already know another programming language, you'll be able to jump in anywhere and get a quick working exposure to Python. If you are completely new to programming, the author starts slowly and moves at a steady, manageable pace. He provides all that you'll need to know in order to write and run programs.

I believe "Learning Python" would work great as a standard text book in college comp sci programs. It is a great exploration of the Python language and the best introduction I've seen covering how to actually build something more complicated in the real world than "hello world".

I'm a big fan of Ruby, but reading this new 3rd edition opens my eyes to what I've been missing by not doing more with Python. I've looked at other Python books in the past and none of them made Python really interesting. This book does.

I've been thinking about what language to teach someone totally new to programming - my kids, for instance, or college students just starting into programming . Python is a strong candidate and this book would be an ideal teaching aid.

One of the "pedagogical" things I like about Python (and Lutz's book) is how clearly you can see the influence and ancestry of C and C++. Lutz describes the steps that have been taken to improve Python into a more productive programming tool without giving up the power.This opens up an interesting line of discussion into the dynamic and evolutioary history of programming languages.

This is a big book. I'm only part way through the 600+ pages. You won't sit down and breeze through it in an afternoon. However, you'll quickly get well past "Hello World" and gain a good feeling for the language. I found it easy to skip ahead to some of the later chapters that interest me; they stand well on their own.

If you are curious about Python, this book will give you all the start-up skills you'll need.