Read a column containing a list as a list

read_column_containing_list.py

# Reference: python - Reading csv containing a list in Pandas - Stack Overflow https://stackoverflow.com/questions/20799593/reading-csv-containing-a-list-in-pandas

# Copy this text.
"""
HK,"[u'5328.1', u'5329.3', '2013-12-27 13:58:57.973614']"
HK,"[u'5328.1', u'5329.3', '2013-12-27 13:58:59.237387']"
HK,"[u'5328.1', u'5329.3', '2013-12-27 13:59:00.346325']"
"""

import ast
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_clipboard(header=None, quotechar='"', sep=',', converters={1:ast.literal_eval})
#     0                                             1
# 0  HK  [5328.1, 5329.3, 2013-12-27 13:58:57.973614]
# 1  HK  [5328.1, 5329.3, 2013-12-27 13:58:59.237387]
# 2  HK  [5328.1, 5329.3, 2013-12-27 13:59:00.346325]