Yes, there is an excellent book for absolute beginners call Python Programming, for the absolute beginner (second edition by Michael Dawson.
Here are the reasons why it is excellent for a beginner. It doesn't go beyong basic math as do most other computer books when giving examples, exercises or programs illustrating any language including Python. It teaches the basic phython in 9 chapters and the goes on to teach some basic graphics using Python. But for me and many others the first 9 chapters are perfect and awesome to work through. Most books attempting to teach any subject start off with a few easy basic chapters and then jumpt into complex explanations and examples. Not so with this book. It gives consistent easy to understand examples/code often in the form of a simple game which fun. No book I have seen, read or own on Python teaches the very basic principles of writing code as easily understood as this book. There are many excellent web sites around the world in many languages that teach basic Python with free texts and examples, but for somone with little or no programming experience or a first timer at programming with modest math skills, it is perfect. News123 wrote: > > Hi, > > One of my 'non technical' friends complained about knowing nothing at > all about programming (though using computers regularly for mails / web > browsing / googling and downloading / cropping photos ) > > He wants to play a little with programming to stimulate parts of his > otehrwise idle brain cells. ;-) Normally it's more the social science / > linguistic parts being exercised, > > I thought python might be a nice language for this > > No my question does anybody know a nice beginners book (or a learning CD > or on line tutorial)? Ideally it shouldn't be too serious and have a lot > of small nice mini-examples > > thanks in advance for any suggestions hints > > bye > > N -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
