diff --git a/bashplotlib/histogram.py b/bashplotlib/histogram.py
index bfff5b1..3e4d638 100644
--- a/bashplotlib/histogram.py
+++ b/bashplotlib/histogram.py
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
 import math
 import optparse
 from os.path import dirname
-from .utils.helpers import *
+from .utils.helpers import (isiterable, drange, box_text,
+                            printcolour, colour_help)
 from .utils.commandhelp import hist
 
 
@@ -52,10 +53,11 @@ def run_demo():
 
     if not os.path.isfile(demo_file):
         sys.stderr.write("demo input file not found!\n")
-        sys.stderr.write("run the downloaddata.sh script in the example first\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("run the downloaddata.sh script \
+in the example first\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    #plotting a histogram
+    # plotting a histogram
     print "plotting a basic histogram"
     print "plot_hist('%s')" % demo_file
     print "hist -f %s" % demo_file
@@ -63,28 +65,30 @@ def run_demo():
     plot_hist(demo_file)
     print "*" * 80
 
-    #with colours
+    # with colours
     print "histogram with colours"
     print "plot_hist('%s', colour='blue')" % demo_file
     print "hist -f %s -c blue" % demo_file
     plot_hist(demo_file, colour='blue')
     print "*" * 80
 
-    #changing the shape of the point
+    # changing the shape of the point
     print "changing the shape of the bars"
     print "plot_hist('%s', pch='.')" % demo_file
     print "hist -f %s -p ." % demo_file
     plot_hist(demo_file, pch='.')
     print "*" * 80
 
-    #changing the size of the plot
+    # changing the size of the plot
     print "changing the size of the plot"
     print "plot_hist('%s', height=35.0, bincount=40)" % demo_file
     print "hist -f %s -s 35.0 -b 40" % demo_file
     plot_hist(demo_file, height=35.0, bincount=40)
 
 
-def plot_hist(f, height=20.0, bincount=None, binwidth=None, pch="o", colour="default", title="", xlab=None, showSummary=False, regular=False):
+def plot_hist(f, height=20.0, bincount=None, binwidth=None, pch="o",
+              colour="default", title="", xlab=None, showSummary=False,
+              regular=False):
     """
     Make a histogram
 
@@ -228,7 +232,8 @@ def main():
     if opts.demo:
         run_demo()
     elif opts.f:
-        plot_hist(opts.f, opts.h, opts.b, opts.binwidth, opts.p, opts.colour, opts.t, opts.x, opts.showSummary, opts.regular)
+        plot_hist(opts.f, opts.h, opts.b, opts.binwidth, opts.p, opts.colour,
+                  opts.t, opts.x, opts.showSummary, opts.regular)
     else:
         print "nothing to plot!"
 
diff --git a/bashplotlib/utils/helpers.py b/bashplotlib/utils/helpers.py
index bfffe46..bb11c94 100644
--- a/bashplotlib/utils/helpers.py
+++ b/bashplotlib/utils/helpers.py
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 
 import sys
 
-isiterable = lambda x: hasattr(x, '__iter__') or hasattr(x, '__getitem__')
+def isiterable(x):
+    return hasattr(x, '__iter__') or hasattr(x, '__getitem__')
 
 bcolours = {
     "white":   '\033[97m',
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ def box_text(text, width, offset=0):
     """
     Return text inside an ascii textbox
     """
-    box = " " * offset + "-" * (width+2) + "\n"
+    box = " " * offset + "-" * (width + 2) + "\n"
     box += " " * offset + "|" + text.center(width) + "|" + "\n"
-    box += " " * offset + "-" * (width+2)
+    box += " " * offset + "-" * (width + 2)
     return box