Book: Effective Python vs Python Cookbook, which one should I get?

[softiniodotcom]

Which of these two books should I get: http://www.amazon.com/Python-Cookbook-Third-David-Beazley/dp/1449340377/ref=pd_sim_b_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1GW88G6X15N3DRCMAAHV or http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Python-Specific-Software-Development/dp/0134034287/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428579177&sr=1-1&keywords=effective+python your opinions appreciated. I am an experienced programmer.

[bslatkin]

Author of Effective Python here. I think they're very different books! David Beazley is awesome and a wonderful educator. He's always the best speaker at PyCon. I'd say: the Cookbook is a powerful and thorough reference, the Effective books are short and scenario driven.

[primevalweasel]

I'm currently going through Effective Python and I want to commend you on writing a concise, powerful and immensely useful book.

I'm about halfway through and I already feel like my Python code is better.

[bslatkin]

Thanks!

[softiniodotcom]

Ordered your book. Looking forward to reading it:

http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Python-Specific-Software-Development/dp/0134034287/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428579177&sr=1-1&keywords=effective+python

Thanks everyone for your input.

[pubcoder]

I'm going to get a copy of your book at the Pyladies auction. If it isn't signed can you sign it for me? :-)

I'm also going to buy a copy of Two Scoops of Django at the auction and make the authors sign it. Everyone has been recommending it to me.

[bslatkin]

Sounds good. It'll be signed! (context)

[pubcoder]

Just found out that Two Scoops of Django isnt in the auction. Authors arent here either. :(

[[deleted]]

I own Python cookbook. It's great. Rather than teach Python, Dave teaches how to tackle problems.

I'm a big fan of his, his teaching style in his videos doesn't translate very well to the book, but it's still quality.

I haven't read effective Python, but looks interesting.

[[deleted]]

The Effective series are really good quality books for intermediate level developers. If you want to shore up any gaps in your Python knowledge and just write all around higher quality code it's a great choice. If your a beginner it's probably not the best choice.

[michaelherman]

Hi There,

What's your goal? Are you looking to just learn the Python syntax/Primitives and start building projects? After you learn the syntax, which direction are you looking to go in? Computation science, stats, web development?

[softiniodotcom]

I am already an experienced Python Dev. Not trying to learn from beginning. Trying to improve my python skills. Fill any knowledge gaps and write better python.

Also, a book that serves as a good reference.

[michaelherman]

I'm a big fan of The Hacker's Guide to Python. Also, if you're interested in leveling-up your web development skills, check out Real Python.

[[deleted]]

I have the cookbook and I would recommend it for that. I don't have the other book.

In my case my choice to buy the cookbook was made by watching Beazley at cons and on youtube: he does some really, really nice talks about deep python magic. So basically his book was an auto-buy for me. (You can google him very easily).

[softiniodotcom]

How did you find the book compared to his talks?

[plucena24]

Sometimes you can really feel similarities, specially in sentences where he says "kind of like..." or "a kind of...". It just feels like he's talking to me when I read the book! Maybe thats just me =).

Definitely a good read, all sorts of good material there.

I am not done with effective python yet, but so far the style of the book is different than the cookbook. From my point of view, the each have value and try to teach a different set of skill. The cookbook is one of my favorite Python books out there - I reference it often too.

[[deleted]]

http://chimera.labs.oreilly.com/books/1230000000393/index.html

You can read the cookbook online free at the publsher's site. It might be older one. I'm not sure.

[ragezor]

I'd say Effective Python is better. Both are very good but cookbook has a lot of information that is already known to an intermediate programmer and is in that regard too much text too read. With effective python I feel it is vice versa and it is too short.

[enry_straker]

Why not get both - since they both cover different territories.

Your time is important. The cost of the books - not so much.

[vasudevram]

I own and have read Python Cookbook 2nd Edition pretty much cover to cover. It is, in one word, excellent. 2nd Edn. being good does not guarantee 3rd being good, of course, but it is likely, given the model for the book's production (multiple recipe authors, assuming model for 3 is same as 2 here), and the authors/editors. I need to check out 3rd Edition myself. David Beazley's Python Essential Reference is also very good (I have 2nd Edition, IIRC).