This book covers only the new-style objects (introduced with Python 2.2). Examples are valid for Python 2.3.3.

This book is not for absolute beginners. It is for people who already know Python (some Python at least), and want to know more.

This book provides a background essential for grasping new-style attribute access and other mechanisms (descriptors, properties and the like). If you are interested in only attribute access, you could go straight to Python Attributes and Methods, after verifying that you understand the Summary of this book.