Learn Python the Hard way is free, if you read it from web.

Dive Into Python is a free Python book for experienced programmers in variety of formats (PDF, HTML, DOC, TXT, XML...)

Google's Python Class is a free class for people with a little bit of programming experience who want to learn Python. The class includes written materials, lecture videos, and lots of code exercises to practice Python coding. These materials are used within Google to introduce Python to people who have just a little programming experience.

It depends what you need. "DIve Into Python" is available online as html and pdf, or can be purchased in print. It is a great, practical resource but assumes you are not new to programming. If you need a general introduction, you may need something else.

The Python page has a list of Introductory Books, which includes some free resources.

Hello, Python is a Python book specifically for new programmers, but is not free.

For all your free programming book needs: Programming, Motherfucker.
(It's the name of the website, what can I do?)
Though I haven't used it myself yet, I've heard "Learn Python the Hard Way" recommended a lot in the past.

you can check this thread on stackover flow

List of freely available programming books

and this:

30 free programming ebooks

Do not forget about the official Python tutorial

There is a lot of good online free material.

The course provides a few good links in the "Prerequisites" tab on this page.

Admitting you have some previous programming experience this link should get you off to a good start.

Those aren't free books but they are free online available content that you should check out, otherwise a google search for some PDFs should help you out.

There is also "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs" that John Denero translated into Python last year.

Hi Haroun, :)

you may like to join the facebook group called "Python Boot Camp for Udacity CS 373", it is especially for students at Udacity who are new to Python!

There are quite a few members already (more than three hundred), and there are also some more experienced people who can answer questions plus one of the Udacity TAs is there as well.

The group also has made a document listing many many python resources, including many of those already mentioned in this forum thread.

So, to Haroun and anyone reading this, come along and join, it's at the following link:

Python Boot Camp for Udacity CS 373

:) :) :)

I would recommend "Building Skills in Python - A Programmer's Introduction to Python":

• http://www.itmaybeahack.com/book/python-2.6/html/index.html

And as well Udacity CS101 course :)

I recently found interactivepython.org ,a great compilation of online interactive books, meaning you work out problems and examples in the browser, kinda like Udacity.Right now, it has three online books:
How to think like a computer scientist- a more comprehensive look at python's features and about programming in general.
http://interactivepython.org/courselib/static/thinkcspy/index.html

Everyday Python blog- a series of posts that showcase Python for solving everyday problems such as generating efficient passwords, encryption, swarming ,etc. Fun stuff...
http://interactivepython.org/courselib/static/everyday/index.html

Problem Solving with Algorithms and Data Structures: is pretty much what it says. Important for anyone who aims to become a programmer. It's one of the few books I've found that uses python to teach these concepts
http://interactivepython.org/courselib/static/pythonds/index.html