David M. Beazley 早在1996年就开始使用Python编程。在洛斯阿莫斯国家实验室工作期间，他教会很多志愿者用Python编写科学计算软件。他创办的Dabeaz 公司提供软件开发、培训和咨询服务，专长于Python、Ruby、Perl等动态编程语言的实际应用。他是Python软件基金会的会员。

Python is a remarkably powerful, yet a simple programming language that has become a highly valuable software development tool for many computing professionals. With the recent release of version 2, Python is becoming more robust and developers are begging for their favorite resource to be updated. Python developers talk about nothing else when it comes to Python documentation--they know Python Essential Reference is the best. Python Essential Reference, Second Edition, concisely describes the Python programming language and its large library of standard modules, collectively known as the Python programming environment. It is arranged into four major parts. First, a brief tutorial and introduction is presented, then an informal language reference will cover lexical conventions, functions, statements, control flow, datatypes, classes, and execution models. The third section covers the Python library, and the final section covers the Python C API that is used to write Python extensions. All the code used in the book is available at www.newriders.com. This book is best for the customers because it is highly focused and clearly provides the things a reader needs to know to best utilize Python. It is intended for programmers who have experience with other programming languages such a C or C++. It is for the serious programmer who does not want a basic introductory to the language.