Automate the Boring Stuff with Python: Practical Programming for Total Beginners

Fully agree with other 5 star comments shown here. If you want a Python book with well explained text and examples to guide you through the learning curve of Python programming, buy this. I have been looking for ages for a book that explains in a easy to follow, step by step fashion how to understand and progress coding in Python, this book does just that. It manages to be clear and ensure the reader can understand exactly what is going on. It is also good for looking up how to do things when you just need a reference book, the index covers 19 pages. There is also quite a lot covered in the book, as a learner this will take you from first steps to well along the road to creating quite advanced Python programs. The book even has a nice feel cover and as it says on the back, it uses a durable binding that won't snap shut each time you open it to refer to it. To top it off the code used is downloadable for free as well. An excellent book, well done Al Sweigart and "no starch press", you deserve the praise!

If you want to learn programming, Python is a fantastic beginners programming language. This book is absolutely superb as it covers all the basics as well as telling you how to do some common tasks with Python. I work as a programmer, and I really wish they had books like this for other programming languages. Sure, a book can teach you about variables, loops etc, but what about common tasks like reading CSV files etc? This book gives some fantastic examples and will really get you started programming in Python. It is very simple to follow for beginners, and will give you a solid foundation. If you're not programming yet, then you need to get started. Anyone can learn programming and should learn it because it allows you to do so much more with your computer. An outstanding book, even for the experienced programmer!

A good starting point for a beginner to launch into the world of python. Good end of chapter questions and project to reinforce learning.

Great Book ! Real everyday programming for the beginner and intermediate alike. It may not be everyone's cup to tea, but for me it was perfect. Let me explain. I'm not a full time programmer. Back in the day however (1980's) I used to write tons of stuff in Northstar and Sinclair Basic, and Fortran a little later on. With a few changes of jobs, and finding it difficult to produce any productive programs, my programming went to the wall (for about 22 years !!!) I really wanted something I could hook into everyday life that did not need me to gather lots of reference books and bash away in a hit and miss fashion. This book shows you how to hook into emails, word documents, excel spreadsheets and the like (including graphics), and produce some great results. It has really got me back into "amateur" programming again and am using it at work to to extract and manipulate data from our bespoke systems. It goes further and explains the use of pip to add modules to the environment, which was the game changer for me. Someone somewhere has already tried to do what you want to do and already has the module . . . . fantastic ! I already have quite a few Python books and they were in the main quite good, but this is the most used, the most read and the most valuable on my computer bookshelf. For the price I would recommend it to anyone.

A book for the beginner and a revision or 'dip into' book for anyone needing examples and reminders. I've looked at a few Python books and this is, in my opinion, the best out there. There are lots of examples and how-to's covering most aspects of the basics of Python. It's written in clear plain English and encourages you to try the code as read. It also explains what the code is doing - some books assume a knowledge of Python whilst claiming to be useful to the beginner. One thing this book is not, nor does it claim to be, is a comprehensive delve into the deep bowels of Python. If you want that look elsewhere.

If you really want to learn python to an advanced level you cant go wrong with this book. Look no further. I can assure you this is the very best book out there by far and I am truly enjoying it. Finish this book and you will be on a really good position with Python. Also the book is really well explained. For the very beginners who never programmed before, the book is just perfect, however, for people who has some programming basic knowledge (like myself) it might be a bit boring at the beginning but does get really interesting after a few initial chapters. Being very honest, this is not just the best Python book I have seen, but actually the best learning book I have seen, with tons of interesting projects. Give it a try and you won't regret buying it. Very well done Al.

I am only a chapter into this book, but it has so far been the best programming book I have yet read. His examples are clear, and he does not just say, "now add x between a and b" as previous coding books have done, instead he lays out the code line by line, notes the line which code is on, and references the lines as he goes through it. He even repeats the code several times in examples in order to address different issues and explains why some things don't work. I feel as if, unlike other books I have read from other publishing companies, that No Starch Press actually proofreads and tests what they are putting into the world, and I think this author actually understands how to communicate and teach via a written medium. As I have moved further into this book, I can re-confirm my thoughts on it: It is by far the best programming book I have read. I have not yet encountered any errors or mistakes in it, and the author wrote his code and explained it line by line so that even someone as inexperienced as I am can learn from the code. I will absolutely be purchasing future books from No Starch Press as they publish quality material. I have moved further into this book, and I am still convinced that it is the best programming book I have read. While there are still points at which I am confused, or stumble, these are no way the fault of the author; but rather my own shortcomings and lack of experience with various aspects of computer programming. I plan on purchasing the second edition of this book so as to support the author for his incredible work in teaching and software development.

Es mejor tener alguna idea de los conceptos básicos de Python antes de empezar a leerlo, porque si no igual los primeros capitulos, que están dedicados a esto, se pueden hacer algo pesados. Los capitulos de usos de módulos específicos para diferentes tareas son muy buenos

Nachdem ich verschiedenste Bücher und Kurse begonnen habe um Python zu lernen und jedesmal nach kürzester Zeit wieder aufgehört habe, bin ich über dieses Buch gestolpert. Es ist wahnsinnig unterhaltsam und kurzweilig geschrieben. Der erste Teil ist eine kurze aber umfassende Einführung in die Programmiersprache, der zweite dann (wie der Titel schon sagt) über verschiedene Automatisierungensprozesse. Die Beispiele sind kurz genug um nicht überfordert zu sein und sehr geanu und ausführlich erklärt. Diesem Buch habe ich es zu vedanken, dass ich Programmieren gelernt habe. Auf jeden Fall eine ganz klare Kaufempfehlung!

Excellent book on python for beginners. Easy to understand layout and flow

É um ótimo livro introdutório. bem pratico.