Use yaml if that extra
\
is annoying as it should not be for any Python developers,maybe showing the raw dictionary for end-users it could be 
my_dict = { "name": "\python", "brand": "\Ford", "model": "Mustang", "year": 1964 }
>>> import yaml >>> >>> print(yaml.dump(my_dict)) {brand: \Ford, model: Mustang, name: \python, year: 1964} >>> print(yaml.dump(my_dict, width=5)) {brand: \Ford, model: Mustang, name: \python, year: 1964} >>> print(yaml.dump(my_dict, default_flow_style=False)) brand: \Ford model: Mustang name: \python year: 1964