've written since monty pythonpython' namesakefor so many great bits to draw from (more in the next although writing is ultimately solitary taskthe ideas that spring forth owe much to the input of many ' thankful for all the feedback 've been fortunate to receive over the last yearsboth from classes and from readers students really are the best teachers of teachers on the (overlypersonal fronti' like to thank my brothers and sister for old daysas well as my childrenmichaelsamanthaand roxannefor bragging rights and ' especially thankful for my wifeverawho somehow managed to append very good things to this otherwise immutable object --mark lutzjuly xxxviii preface