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Python Crash Course by Eric Matthes. I am a Deep Learning Research Engineer who works 100% in Python. I had just started second year in college with only basi

Python Crash Course by Eric Matthes. I am a Deep Learning Research Engineer who works 100% in Python. I had just started second year in college with only basic knowledge in imperative C. Didn't even know how to write a C function other than main(). Then I started learning Python with Python Crash Course by Eric Matthes. I finished the entire book in five days. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot. This is the ONLY programming book I read cover-to-cover, and the only Python book I have ever read. This book served me greatly. When anyone asks for Python book recommendation, I recommend this book only. You don't need any other. This book has the basics taught, then goes through three projects. One of them is a game. I remember. All the exercises are great, self-contained, doable without outside help, and help you grow. And the book's design has all that No Starch Press goodness to it. Go for it.

gjvc 4y ago
Where did you learn to write in this style?
- __rito__ 4y ago
  Is it any good? It mainly started in Humanities classes in middle school. I had great History/Geography/Bengali teachers there. The gist of what they taught me was to optimize writing for one thing and one thing only- clear communication of information. No need to impress or bloat. So that the person grading your test copy finds it the most convenient to read your answer (hence bullet points, smaller paragraphs, etc.), and finds the answer so easily, that they don't dare to deduct marks. India is big on standardized tests, and a total stranger grades your copy. I used to optimize for grades, and now I do for communication of information. I employ the same things when writing tutorials, documentations, and reports. I am a reader, and some advices from one/two memoirs of authors I read stuck with me. I also used to spend 10-20 hours per week on Quora during college, and was in the eyes of admins there, and worked on all sorts of pilot projects. I also had real recognition and multiple thousand followers in one non-English language version of Quora. Practice comes handy. I also think communication is very important- in teaching, presenting, and writing. So writing is only a part of a bigger part of myself. And communication not in the smelly MBA/LinkedIn kind of way. Communication in its true sense. I also think that I shouldn’t try to impress or flex while writing. I can comfortably do that because I have plenty other ways to wow people in life. So no word or sentence I use is engineered to impress anyone. And I always keep in mind that I am selling something. (I have no ties to the publisher or the author of the book here) I really benefited from the book, so I spread the word whenever I can. So, if I can convice 10 people to buy/borrow, and 2 of them read it in full, I honestly believe that they will benefit. I don't think I am a particularly good writer. However, if you find it good, this is how I do it.
  - ergonaught 4y ago
    Looks like Facebook advertising meets Ultima Online chat.
    - __rito__ 4y ago
      Being toxic is not an admirable trait.
      - ergonaught 4y ago
        Sure. Relevance?
  - gjvc 4y ago
    Is it any good? No. It's bloody awful.
    - newguynewphone 4y ago
      Why is it "bloody awful"?
- lordgrenville 4y ago
  LinkedIn would be my guess...
  - gjvc 4y ago
    Bullseye.
__rito__ 4y ago
I went through and still go through many other Python resources like blogs, videos, etc. But never another book or any MOOC on Python. And reading and working with large codebases is very important for practical work. And it has no substitution. I will recommend this path: Read and do all exercises from Python Crash Course ---> Solve coding problems from Codewars. Choose Codeforces or Project Euler as well, if you have the corresponding bend ---> Make your own projects, solve your own problems ---> Contribute to Open Source projects --> Get hired. Unique growth happens after using a language in job. Or use Python in your job In the intermediate space somewhere, learn something where you can use Python. It may be webdev, gamedev, cybersecurity, or ML/AI. Using Python is the key here. Different people want different things when they want to learn a language. So, choose based on your goals.
clumsysmurf 4y ago
Its easy to miss, but the Third Edition just came out Jan 2023.
vasili111 4y ago
It is good book if you are just starting. It is also good book if you do not have prior programming experience with other programming languages. But if you want to get more deep understanding of Python you need to read after other books that are mentioned in this ASK HN thread.

gjvc 4y ago

Where did you learn to write in this style?

__rito__ 4y ago
Is it any good? It mainly started in Humanities classes in middle school. I had great History/Geography/Bengali teachers there. The gist of what they taught me was to optimize writing for one thing and one thing only- clear communication of information. No need to impress or bloat. So that the person grading your test copy finds it the most convenient to read your answer (hence bullet points, smaller paragraphs, etc.), and finds the answer so easily, that they don't dare to deduct marks. India is big on standardized tests, and a total stranger grades your copy. I used to optimize for grades, and now I do for communication of information. I employ the same things when writing tutorials, documentations, and reports. I am a reader, and some advices from one/two memoirs of authors I read stuck with me. I also used to spend 10-20 hours per week on Quora during college, and was in the eyes of admins there, and worked on all sorts of pilot projects. I also had real recognition and multiple thousand followers in one non-English language version of Quora. Practice comes handy. I also think communication is very important- in teaching, presenting, and writing. So writing is only a part of a bigger part of myself. And communication not in the smelly MBA/LinkedIn kind of way. Communication in its true sense. I also think that I shouldn’t try to impress or flex while writing. I can comfortably do that because I have plenty other ways to wow people in life. So no word or sentence I use is engineered to impress anyone. And I always keep in mind that I am selling something. (I have no ties to the publisher or the author of the book here) I really benefited from the book, so I spread the word whenever I can. So, if I can convice 10 people to buy/borrow, and 2 of them read it in full, I honestly believe that they will benefit. I don't think I am a particularly good writer. However, if you find it good, this is how I do it.
- ergonaught 4y ago
  Looks like Facebook advertising meets Ultima Online chat.
  - __rito__ 4y ago
    Being toxic is not an admirable trait.
    - ergonaught 4y ago
      Sure. Relevance?
- gjvc 4y ago
  Is it any good? No. It's bloody awful.
  - newguynewphone 4y ago
    Why is it "bloody awful"?
lordgrenville 4y ago
LinkedIn would be my guess...
- gjvc 4y ago
  Bullseye.

__rito__ 4y ago

I went through and still go through many other Python resources like blogs, videos, etc. But never another book or any MOOC on Python. And reading and working with large codebases is very important for practical work. And it has no substitution. I will recommend this path: Read and do all exercises from Python Crash Course ---> Solve coding problems from Codewars. Choose Codeforces or Project Euler as well, if you have the corresponding bend ---> Make your own projects, solve your own problems ---> Contribute to Open Source projects --> Get hired. Unique growth happens after using a language in job. Or use Python in your job In the intermediate space somewhere, learn something where you can use Python. It may be webdev, gamedev, cybersecurity, or ML/AI. Using Python is the key here. Different people want different things when they want to learn a language. So, choose based on your goals.

clumsysmurf 4y ago

Its easy to miss, but the Third Edition just came out Jan 2023.

vasili111 4y ago

It is good book if you are just starting. It is also good book if you do not have prior programming experience with other programming languages. But if you want to get more deep understanding of Python you need to read after other books that are mentioned in this ASK HN thread.