http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7472839/python-readline-from-a-string

Python 2

>>> msg = "Bob Smith\nJane Doe\nJane,\nPlease order more widgets\nThanks,\nBob\n"
>>> msg
'Bob Smith\nJane Doe\nJane,\nPlease order more widgets\nThanks,\nBob\n'
>>> import StringIO
>>> buf = StringIO.StringIO(msg)
>>> buf.readline()
'Bob Smith\n'
>>> buf.readline()
'Jane Doe\n'
 

Be sure to use cStringIO if performance is important.

Python 3

>>> import io
>>> buf = io.StringIO(msg)
>>> buf.readline()
'Bob Smith\n'
>>> buf.readline()
'Jane Doe\n'
>>> len(buf.read())
44