The pedagogy of Learn Python th Hard Way is called 'Direct Instruction'. It has been successful for teaching the very rudiments of diverse subjects. It falls flat once applied to teaching creative intuition or abstract conceptual reasoning. That's why Learn Python the Hard Way is targeted at beginners.
Page 4 of the Shaw-Hanselman interview transcript discusses direct instruction.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/hanselminutes/hanselminutes_0407.pdf
Out of curiosity did your SO learn Python and if so what resources worked particularly well?