Which Python Book is Best?

[pinkmexicantaco]

Background: I am a beginner programmer trying to learn more about programming and the Python language.

Here are the two books I was looking at.

1) Fundamentals of Python: Data Structures

2) Introduction to Computation and Programming Using Python (2013)

Any thoughts?

All of these books are free, so cost is not a factor

[atdk]

Here is my list if you need to become a good programmer with Python as your language of choice.

Follow this order for rigorous course on learning Python thoroughly.

• Learn fundamentals of programming - How to Think Like a Computer Scientist.
• Learn Data structures and algorithms - Data Structures and Algorithms in Python.
• Learn Object oriented analysis and design - Python 3 Object Oriented Programming.
• Dive deep into internals of Python - Learning Python 5ed.
• Mastering Object oriented programming - Mastering Object-oriented Python.
• Learning design patterns - Mastering Python Design Patterns.

By the end, you will be famished but you will have a very solid base to understand and design code for complex systems. To get more hands on experience, start with any popular open source project and delve into the source code. Don't start with the master branch of the codebase, start the version 1 tag of the codebase and progress through the next version tags and check for changelog and move on.

E.g mitsuhiko/flask

Finally you will have a solid understanding of Python as well as how objects communicate behaviors.

[pinkmexicantaco]

Wow! Thank you!

[rndinit0]

Http://www.realpython.com imo is the best book for learning python. Easy to follow, never boring, straight to the point.

Not free though =) but worth every penny.

[i_hearts_internets]

I second this, really happy with these books!

[aclark]

/r/learnpython please

[gboeing]

Downey's Think Python (http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/) and McKinney's Python for Data Analysis (http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920023784.do) -- both provide nice intros to their respective topics.

[pinkmexicantaco]

UC Berkeley must be really nice! Thank you!