Preface xxv: "Fundamentally, though, this edition, like the second, is still focused on ways to *use* Python rather than on the language itself."

Preface xxv: "But in general, this text assumes that you already have at least a passing acquaintance with Python language fundatmentals, and moves on to the rest of the Python story -- its applications to real tasks."

Let's skip back even further to the beginning:

Preface xxi: "Now that I've told you what this book is. I should tell you what it is not. First of all, this book is *not* a reference manual. Although the index can be used to hunt information, this text is not a dry collection of facts; it is designed to be read."

Preface xxi: "Rather, this book is a *tutorial* that teaches the most common Python application domains from the ground up. It covers each of Python's target domains gradually, beginning with in-depth discussion of core concepts in each domain, before progressing toward complete programs. Later examples do appear, but only after you've learned enough to understand their techniques and code."

Preface xxii: "In a sense, this book is to application-level programming what the book [Learning Python] is to the core Python language...this book is designed to be a natural follow-up to the core language materials in Learning Python."

Preface xxv: "...If you find code in this book confusing, I encourage you to read [Learning Python] as a prelude to this text."

So there you have it, I am all for rubishing books that mislead and make blatent messes of the learning of programming tools. But you sir, have stuck your foot in it and shown what a complete prat you are making an ill informed opinion and obviously ill informed choice before picking the book up off the shelf.

Mark Lutz, deserves at least an open an honest opinion from readers in the target audience, not hit and run posters like yourself.