What's the best way to learn "PROPER" Python? I am doing exercises a lot but not learning anything new, because my current knowledge mostly solves problems. Any tips / recommendations?
Python and Java are type 2 languages, Clojure and Javascript are type 2 languages.
In a type 1 language you want to look up answers in the official manual because if you do that you'll always get the right answers!
Read the Python manual, read it again, then read it again. Get in the habit of looking up answers in the Python manual, don't look them up on Google (you'll waste time with splogs,) don't look them up on Stack Overflow (the answers are wrong.)