Learning Python, 5th Edition

Chapter 1. A Python Q&A Session

Python is commonly regarded as a general purpose object-oriented scripting language. It also has functional programming features

Chapter 2. How Python Runs Programs

Python has several implementation versions. Of which, CPython is the standard that comes with the language. Other flavors include Jython (Java), IronPython (.NET), Stackless (multi-threading) and PyPy (speed)
Python can be packaged as a "frozen binary" one can run without any installation. It's a stand-alone application that includes the runtime environment for portability, albeit file size is much larger.

Chapter 3. How You Run Programs

In a (NIX) shell environment, you can execute a python file (.py) by

Running it as en executable: chmod +x, then ./test.py. This requires shebang of which python executable version to use
Through the python executable program: python test.py

Python scripts executed from the command line can be piped to other programs

Chapter 10. Introducing Python Statements

Statements unique to Python

if -> elif -> else
try -> except [ErrorType] -> else -> finally
raise Eception to throw an error
No switch-case statement
Ternary is A = Y if X else Z
None not null
pass as the no-op keyword
lambda n = lambda x: x + 2 is n(1)=3

Use parentheses to enforce multi-line code

x = (foo_bar_baz +
     bar_baz_foo +
     baz_foo_bar)
     
if (foo == bar and
    bar == baz and
    baz == foo):
        print('foo bar')

Chapter 23. Module Coding Basics

import a, b, c imports a, b, and c modules with all their public methods and/or properties
from moduleName import function selective function import
from moduleName import * to copy everything from the module
module names cannot be the same as any reserved Python keyword
File names generate namespaces

Chapter 24. Module Packages

A directory of python code is referred as a package and importing it is appropriately called package imports
import directory1.directory2.module for module imports
from directory1.directory2.module import function for property or method imports. For packages that have deep nesting, this statement is more convenient because a change in package directory will not make you change your function calls outside of the declaration line.
Up until Python v3.3., every directory leading up to the module must have a __init__.py file to initialize the package(s). If included in v3.3.3, this file has higher precedence in Python's module matching search rules
from . import function relative import. This is only applicable to packages and the from statement

Chapter 25. Advanced Module Topics

_variableName : Prefix variable names with underscore to prevent them from being imported in a from moduleName import * statement
__name__ returns the module's name
__name__ == __main__ to test if the module is ran as itself and not as an import. This is particulary helpful when writing initializations.

Chapter 36. Designing with Exceptions

Toolset

PyChecker for syntax checks
PyLint for syntax checks
PyUnit for unit tests
Eclipse, Komodo, NetBeans for IDE

Chapter 41. All Good Things

"If any person or program you need to work with uses such tools [or any advanced programming constructs], they automatically become part of your required knowledge base too. ...

The net effect of such over-engineering is to either escalate learning requirements radically, or foster a user base that only partially understands the tools they employ. This is obviously less than ideal for those hoping to use Python in simpler ways, and contradictory to the scripting motif.