[sukhbir]

I really wonder why no one mentions the official Python tutorial (http://docs.python.org/tutorial/). That is by far, the most concise and easiest to understand Python tutorial I have ever come across. For those who run after multiple sources and 400 pages books, give the official tutorial a read. You will not even feel at looking at another Python introductory book again. I speak from personal experience and based on the feedback from the people I recommended this -- they simply love it. As talk is cheap, don't listen to me and go ahead and give it the first few pages a read. You won't regret it.

[homofaber]

This was true for me too, it was just called 'Learn Python In One Afternoon' and it was true.

There is need for other short begginer tutorials, simply because we are all different, but for majority of people official tutorial will really be the best place to start.

[myegorov]

...is the tutorial any shorter than 400 page books?

[sukhbir]

With the tutorial, you just need to read till Chapter 9 as the continuing chapters handle the stdlib which serves more of a reference once you know the language. Point being, you start writing Python with the official tutorial much earlier as compared to any introductory book because the tutorial teaches you what you _just_ what you need to know.