Python in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference

This book is a detailed treasure trove, carefully and concisely written by a master. I can't give it less that 5 stars. The one thing I don't like about it is that it still includes coverage of Python 2. Lots of passages explain a feature, then in parentheses mention something similar to "but that's for v2; for v3 ...". So, if you're only interested in v3, there's some re-reading required. I'm still only on chp 3. Sometimes the v3 content comes first --- I think it may be a mix. I don't have the previous edition in front of me, but I think they dropped coverage of tkinter for this edition. As for production value, the pages feel nice and thick, and it has good print quality.

Great as a dictionary like reference manual. Bullky. Not a beginner's introduction to Python

the cover page is not so fresh new. other than that looks nice.

I know nothing about python, but this helped me get a 100 on my programming midterm.

I learned many things about Python that I found useful and I didn't even suspect of their existence. Very well-conceived book!

Python in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition is fantastic! This treatment of the Python language is thorough, and most important for clarity is systematic and consistent. Explanations of inner workings - why and how things work as they do - enrich this work and left me with much greater understanding about areas I thought I already understood well. Python V2 and V3 are both covered comprehensively with examples of each given in cases where they differ, the differences clearly shown and not left to chance. This book is both an introduction and guide to Python and a language reference. Most worthy and highly recommended! (We obtained this book in e-book form directly from O'Reilly Media in pre-release in December 2016.)

I love this book and find it immensely useful. But the index is very questionable. As just one example: I search for "yield" in the index, a term which is certainly fundamental in Python. But it is nowhere to be found. (In fact, there are no "Y" entries at all.) I have the April 2017 edition. The publisher needs to engage a more competent indexer.

Great reference. This contains summaries of standard Python. Needs more info on packages.

Se qualcuno cerca un tutorial per imparare a programmare, questo libro non è quello giusto, ma se si desidera avere informazioni complete, ben organizzate e con consigli sulle "best practices" della programmazione in Python allora questo libro lo consiglio senz'altro. Dopo una prima lettura può essere usato come manuale di consultazione per trovare una miniera di informazioni.

Si vous cherchez un livre qui vous amène au coeur du sujet, passez votre chemin. "In a Nutshell" signifie droit au but et Python est un logiciel complexe. Dans ce livre l'information essentielle est noyée dans la masse. Et, lorsque le livre aborde un sujet compliqué, il vous conseille d'aller voir sur le Net. Mais, bon faute d'une liste claire, simple et courte avec des exemples clairs également, on peut à la rigueur faire avec. Ce livre n'est hélas toujours pas un vrai "Nutshell".

Useful, but needs updating

Well formatted

The ability to communicate complex knowledge clearly yet comprehensively is a rare gift, and these authors don’t have it. This text is certainly detailed but it is frequently unclear. The goal of capturing every corner case in a single sentence is achieved, but at the expense of clarity. Consequently, the reader is forced to wade through very long sentences containing too many parentheses and commas. Too much time and mental effort is thus spent deciphering sentence structure, which obstructs the learning process. It is also oddly organised for a reference text, with advanced use cases often appearing before common ones. I’m aware that Alex Martelli has made a vast contribution to Python generally, but I’m afraid that his use of the English language is less than inspiring. As alternatives, I would recommend Luciano Ramalho’s Fluent Python: Clear, Concise, and Effective Programming and Brett Slatkin's Effective Python: 59 Specific Ways to Write Better Python (Effective Software Development Series) . For a purely reference text, Dave Beazley's Python Essential Reference (Developer's Library) remains unmatched.