Programming books for a 14yo learning Python?

[Thoughtcat]

Hey guys, long time no speak My 14yo son is learning Python as part of his GCSEs and seems to be getting into it. I used to program Commodore BASIC many years ago but apart from occasional PHP tinkering haven't done any actual programming since I was his age. I thought I'd get him a programming book for Christmas that would be inspiring. Are programming books even still a thing or does everyone just learn from YouTube etc these days? He's really into gaming (current favourite is cs:go) and has a fairly powerful Windows PC. Any suggestions?

[gilesgoat]

Hey guys, long time no speak My 14yo son is learning Python as part of his GCSEs and seems to be getting into it. I used to program Commodore BASIC many years ago but apart from occasional PHP tinkering haven't done any actual programming since I was his age. I thought I'd get him a programming book for Christmas that would be inspiring. Are programming books even still a thing or does everyone just learn from YouTube etc these days? He's really into gaming (current favourite is cs:go) and has a fairly powerful Windows PC. Any suggestions?

I do use books, I love books ( more then YT and such ) I think they are invaluable, if they are good.

However I know NOTHING about Python ( I know much more about the beast than the language ) so I can't reccomend any book for it.

[gilesgoat]

Hey guys, long time no speak My 14yo son is learning Python as part of his GCSEs and seems to be getting into it. I used to program Commodore BASIC many years ago but apart from occasional PHP tinkering haven't done any actual programming since I was his age. I thought I'd get him a programming book for Christmas that would be inspiring. Are programming books even still a thing or does everyone just learn from YouTube etc these days? He's really into gaming (current favourite is cs:go) and has a fairly powerful Windows PC. Any suggestions?

I do use books, I love books ( more then YT and such ) I think they are invaluable, if they are good.

However I know NOTHING about Python ( I know much more about the beast than the language ) so I can't reccomend any book for it.

[edit] - at 14 years old, THINKING back in time ... I don't think I had a Spectrum yet, I had a ZX80 .. but ONE thing I surely had, in those time in Italy "was quite a thing" the Jackson editions" ( not sure if it was an Italian thing or else ) ..

Probably "my very fist book that introduced me into digital logic" was THIS ONE ! ...

It had a lot of chapters talking about this MMD-1 computer ( Mini Micro Design board ) which had "this mysterious thing" called "microprocessor" ( that for me was still complete voodo at the time ) and this book was talking quite a bit about "assembler" and "machine code".

I am sure I started to write "some experimental programs" in 8080 ASM even before I got that ZX80 .. actually maybe I had this book when was 12 ... can't be sure .. memories are a bit fading but definitely "I would not be here without this book", which I still have somewhere at home !

[edit2] - I JUST now noted your link to "guitar solo" videos .. .. CAN YOU DO THE "JERRY C CANON GUITAR" ??!!

[merman]

https://www.raspberrypi.org/ - free resources for learning Python

[k345y]

Amazon used to have a learn python kindle edition for free.

[Thoughtcat]

Thanks guys!

Giles, thanks for the guitar link, I'll give it a try sometime

[gilesgoat]

Thanks guys!

Giles, thanks for the guitar link, I'll give it a try sometime

You mean THIS ONE



[edit] - you ever seen this "genius" ?