This is an annotated (and rather biased!) list of Python books.

• “Learning Python” by Mark Lutz, O’Reilly 3rd 2007
  Considered one of the best “Learning ...” books by O’Reilly.

• “Python Tutorial” by Guido van Rossum, online 2.5 release 2006
  The classic by “BDFL” Guido, this is (with now approx. 120 pages) certainly still one of the best introductions to Python; systematical, clear, well written (http://docs.python.org/tut/tut.html). If you want an offline format (like PDF), you can get it here, together with the other standard documents: http://docs.python.org/download.html

• “Python Phrasebook” by Brad Dayley, Developer’s Library 2007
  I have to confess I like the whole concept of the “Phrasebook” series (there are Phrasebooks for JavaScript, PHP, ...). Along an outline that is rather problem-domain oriented (e.g. working with strings, files, databases, Internet communication, HTML, XML, ...), Python idioms are introduced. The book does not try to be either systematical nor exhaustive as far as language features are concerned. Rather, each section starts with just a few Python statements that achieve just “this thing”. The remainder then discusses these lines and put them in context of a small application (you might feel reminded of O’Reilly’s Cookbook concept, but more lightweight). I like the fact that whole idioms are presented, not just language features you have to pull together yourself. If you use Python only occasionally and want to get going very fast, this one is for you. Both beginners and experienced programmers will benefit this way. The down side might be that you get lost as soon as you step outside the scope of the book. But together with its size (some 250 pages, truely pocket-size), it’s a perfect little Python companion.

• I find it hard to recommend a single canonical work on Python, the likes of “Programming Perl” by Wall/Christiansen/Orwant.

• “Core Python Programming” by Wesley Chun, Prentice Hall 2nd 2007
  This probably comes closest. Chun has a very good writing style that is both accessible and also provides in-depth information. The book has a very welcomed focus on Python’s core, so core issues like the OO features are given broad coverage. Things get more compact when dealing with important APIs (e.g. regexp’s, network, multi-threading) and application fields (e.g. GUIs, Web programming, databases). I’ve just started reading it (Apr08) and will revise this entry when I’ve covered more.

• “Programming Python” by Mark Lutz, O’Reilly 3rd 2006
  It’s huge (1596 pages!), following a cursory, rather than a systematical, looking-the-expert-over-the-shoulder approach. Increasingly demanding application cases are used to introduce more and more of the language and the libraries. Nice, if you have the time to read linearly through it, but hard if you need to find everything relating to a specific topic in one place.

• “Python Cookbook” by Martelli/Ravenscroft/Asher, O’Reilly 2nd 2005
  Well written, very useful collection of recipes around a broad range of topics. Unlike the sibling “Perl Cookbook”, which devotes a decent amount of space to language specifics (like data types), the Python cookbook jumps right into dealing with application szenarios and corresponding challenges, and how to solve them in Python. Very recommendable. There is a related online offering from ActiveState (Asher’s employer), http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Python/Cookbook/

• “Python Programming On Win32” by Mark Hammond, O’Reilly 2000
  Albeit dated, this one covers about the material of “Learning Python” with additional information crucial for working on Win32 platforms (COM/DCOM, ...). Being one of my personal programming heros, Mark Hammond has contributed from the very early days to the Windows version of Python, and doing so in an excellent manner. If you are using the Windows installer from Python.org (rather than ActivePython) you should definitely consider downloading Mark’s pywin32 extension (http://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/), which also includes an entire Python IDE. Very recommendable for Win32 programmers.

• “Python in a Nutshell” by Alex Martelli, O’Reilly 2nd 2006
  Finally in its second edition (and being a bit later than Beazly’s third), I have no personal impression of the book but heard quite a bit of appraisal. Martelli is the guy from the cookbook, and O’Reilly’s Nutshell series is usually very reliable in terms of content and presentation.

• “Python Essential Reference” by David Beazly, Sams (Developer’s Library) 3rd 2006
  My faviourite reference: systematically, well written, fixes some issues in the standard docs, up-to-date. Very recommendable.

• “Python Pocket Reference” by Mark Lutz, O’Reilly 3rd 2005
  Covering Python 2.4, this is something I couldn’t do without, I always keep it around. I also think that it is fairly sufficient if you are an experienced programmer who wants to get to grips with Python. Very recommendable.