Python programming book

Can you recommend a Python programming book for a serious, professional 24-30 hour course for programmers?

I'd like to focus on advanced programming techniques and introduce them to functional programming, rather than teach them what's a while loop (that's assumed to be known) or just teach them syntax, functions and classes (I don't want a "translate Java into Python" course).

>>16
>>21
Same Ruby fanboi weeaboo

>>21
Nothing new? I don't know if Python has universally new features as I don't know every single language out there, but I haven't seen some Python things in other languages (such as descriptors or its particular object model which I happen to like), and most definitely, I haven't seen everything Python has together let alone under a sane syntax.

Contrary to what you say, they work very well together and to assure this, Guido is very picky about what he adds and how.

To claim Python is worthless because it's nothing new is a cheap excuse from lazy fanboys of a particular language who are scared of possibly needing to learn another language.

As for elegance, yes, it is far more elegant. Ruby is somewhere in the middle of Python and Perl.