I don't speak Python (guessing that's what this is) but the problem I have with the short version is that it still seems oddly verbose. Why not something like

I don't speak Python (guessing that's what this is) but the problem I have with the short version is that it still seems oddly verbose. Why not something like this? images = map(retry(DOWNLOAD_TRIES, HttpError,download_image), urls) (I may have slightly fumbled the syntax here, but with luck my point is clear.)