Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (June 2025)

I finally compiled and expanded on all my various blog posts, tutorials and other Python goodness into a book: Working with Python. It is available as a free pdf download at: https://mkaz.blog/working-with-python/

It's grown over a dozen or so years and when I finally decide to compile into a book, everyone now uses AI and no longer read and learn from books but instead through LLMs.

Fantastic. I wish I'd started on writing something like this years ago (although I'd wanted to teach explicitly rather than having a collection of how-tos).

> when I finally decide to compile into a book, everyone now uses AI

This is part of what discourages me from starting now, sadly. That, and having more concepts for actual Python projects than I know what to do with.

> everyone now uses AI and no longer read and learn from books

Not me, I read the shit out of documentation and also books like yours which distill knowledge from professionals down to a bunch of useful points. I have never not learned something (even if I knew and forgot it) from reading a good book about "Working with X".

Thanks for your hard work, and for giving it away to others gratis.

Edit: the string formatting cookbook has a ton of useful info that I always forget how to use, I'm going to bookmark your site by this page: https://mkaz.blog/working-with-python/string-formatting

The string formatting article definitely has been my most popular post for years. I'm glad you found it useful, and thanks for the kind words

Great book! I already use python for some simple projects and your book is in the perfect level of practicality that I need. Thank you! Suggestion: create an epub version as well. It would be awesome to read it on a kindle or other e-ink devices.