Python in a Nutshell Book

I admit that I had tried to learn Python by reading this book, while it seems that this is not its intended purpose. Still, even though it classifies itself as an exhaustive reference for seasoned Pythonistas, this tome starts by covering all the basics of the language like its history, most commonly used implementations and a praise for its community and a great sense of humor it possesses - information which is hardly useful for the above-mentioned audience. Despite advertised humorousness, Python in a Nutshell is a very dryly written book which piles a lot of facts in what I cannot see as anything but random order. I tried reading it twice and couldn't get myself past the first 100 pages or so - this rarely happens to me with programming books. Actually, it has happened only once. I wouldn't recommend spending any money or time on this book to anyone.