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Together with Automate the Boring Stuff with Python, this book makes a brilliant pair from No Starch Press, and will have you up and doing useful stuff with Python in no time. Written in an accessible style by a professional educator, it takes a project-oriented approach to learning the language and the basics of programming. Total beginners will get the most value, but even novices/hobbyists will find plenty to chew on. I am not a professional developer, I just love doing creative projects in python: graphics, games, artwork, math, even simple web deployment are all covered here. I originally checked it out from the library, but then wanted to have my own copy permanently on hand. It's that kind of book.