

Ask HN: What are good books for advanced topics in Python?  - michelleclsun

I have been programming for almost a year and full time for 5 months.  Looking to add to my holidays reading list. So far I've seen recommendations, eg Think Python(http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/thinkpython.html) and Programming Python (http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Python-Mark-Lutz/dp/0596158106/).  Thanks for any tips and advice!
======
tordf
Foundations of Python Network Programming is pretty ok on network related
topics([http://www.amazon.com/Foundations-Python-Network-
Programming...](http://www.amazon.com/Foundations-Python-Network-Programming-
Goerzen/dp/1590593715))

~~~
michelleclsun
Thanks @tordf!

------
poof131
I guess the question is what do you mean by advanced topics? What direction do
you want to go in? The latter book you mentioned seems to cover a number of
topics and is probably a good bet.

If you are interested in the web, both these books were good:
[http://www.amazon.com/Python-Web-Programming-Steve-
Holden/dp...](http://www.amazon.com/Python-Web-Programming-Steve-
Holden/dp/0735710902) [http://www.amazon.com/The-Definitive-Guide-Django-
Developmen...](http://www.amazon.com/The-Definitive-Guide-Django-
Development/dp/143021936X/ref=pd_sim_b_12)

Here are a few books that cover some "advanced?" topics that I'd like to read
when I have time (would also like to hear other peoples' recommendations on
them): [http://www.amazon.com/Python-Data-Analysis-Wes-
McKinney/dp/1...](http://www.amazon.com/Python-Data-Analysis-Wes-
McKinney/dp/1449319793) [http://www.amazon.com/Twisted-Network-Programming-
Essentials...](http://www.amazon.com/Twisted-Network-Programming-Essentials-
Fettig/dp/0596100329) [http://www.amazon.com/Foundations-Python-Network-
Programming...](http://www.amazon.com/Foundations-Python-Network-Programming-
comprehensive/dp/1430230037/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y)
[http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Tornado-Michael-
Dory/dp/1...](http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Tornado-Michael-
Dory/dp/1449309070) [http://onlinebookplace.com/programming-computer-vision-
with-...](http://onlinebookplace.com/programming-computer-vision-with-python-
tools-and-algorithms-for-analyzing-
images?region=us&engine=google_pl&gclid=CJDNub2Z9rMCFe5FMgodTy8Azw)

I'm not sure on your background or the quality of these books, but an
understanding of data structures, algorithms, and object oriented programming
could be considered important: [http://www.amazon.com/Data-Structures-
Algorithms-Using-Pytho...](http://www.amazon.com/Data-Structures-Algorithms-
Using-Python/dp/0470618299) [http://www.amazon.com/Python-Algorithms-
Mastering-Language-E...](http://www.amazon.com/Python-Algorithms-Mastering-
Language-Experts/dp/1430232374/ref=pd_sim_b_2)
[http://www.amazon.com/Python-3-Object-Oriented-
Programming/d...](http://www.amazon.com/Python-3-Object-Oriented-
Programming/dp/1849511268)

Although these and other intermediate to advanced topics tend to be covered
better in non-language-specific books such as this shotgun blast to the head.
Don't worry, it's just an "introduction": [http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-
Algorithms-Thomas-H-Corme...](http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-
Thomas-H-Cormen/dp/0262033844)

~~~
michelleclsun
Thanks @poof131 - I'd like to go deeper into algorithms / data manipulation /
social network analysis (for my job), and also web programming using python
(weekend reading).

I'm currently reading Python for Data Analysis but feel like I can read about
how to use a library but it's hard to retain specific syntax use cases if I'm
not using those libraries immediately / frequently.

One book I really like is Collective Intelligence
(<http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596529321.do>), which has some good
examples on social network analysis.

