The Practical SQL Handbook: Using SQL Variants [With CDROM]

Our lead DBA told me about this book (an earlier edition) and I bought it over a year ago. Up until Feb. 2006, I had no idea what SQL was. As a tech lover and "sponge of knowledge", I saw a need at my job to take over the ad-hoc report requests that burdened our DBAs. With teachings from them and a 2 day training class I embarked on my query writing adventure. 1.5 years later, I have learned a great deal and use this book about 1x/week! I do not do any programming (I'm a tech analyst) so this book is great for explaining 1) what the command means and 2) how to write it. I work in both Oracle and MySQL and have found that this book pretty much applies to both worlds. My only complaint (and this is SO small) is that sometimes I have very specific questions, like how to limit the row output, and the glossary in the back of the book is not that specific. Other than that, for someone without a programming or DBA background, I LOVE this book! I have even let other analysts in different depts. use it and they have found it helpful as well.

The best SQL book I've found so far. This is really just an update of "The Practical SQL Handbook" and that's a good thing. These authors do a marvelous job of explaining how to accomplish things with SQL without getting too deep. The writing is at a conversational level ... like you are speaking with a co-worker. I think the organization of the book makes sense and have had no problems finding answers while jumping around the chapters. This book has been around for many years (This is the fourth edition) and I can understand why. It is probably all you will ever need. I also bought "SQL Queries for Mere Mortals". I haven't spent much time with it yet but it seems to be more a textbook to "rev up your SQL with hot licks" in its approach and not as much of a general purpose book like the "Practical SQL Handbook". I think the two of them cover my needs completely.

Does a good job of explaining SQL from the basic stuff up to highly complex queries. Goes into detail whenever necessary to explain the differences between an implementation in Oracle, SQL Server, mySQL, etc. Highly recommended.

This is a good book for the people who r new to sql.

What makes this Fourth Edition to the Practical SQL series special is the approach to teaching SQL shared by all the editions in this series. The same statements and queries are covered by many SQL texts, but not with the same clarity or teaching philosophy.Beginning programmers are often unaware that much of programming goes according to what I like to call "programmer lore." The accumulated tradition of practices that are not written down in any book of algorithms but handed down from programmer to programmer in back rooms and online discussion groups. This largely "oral tradition" that exists within the culture of programming is essential to developing real world applications. This handed down knowledge is essential because most authors follow their own academic interests in the more theoretical while most programmers are too busy to write down daily practice. As the foreword says, the idea for this edition is to reclaim this knowledge and present it as if folk wisdom handed down from a master chef.I will not delve into the specifics of each chapter or repeat here the SQL concepts taught within, because all SQL books purport to teach the same elements. What makes this book different is the way it follows a set of principles designed to make learning easier.The explanations are clearly presented in plain language without any unexplained buzzwords or digressions into mathematical theory. With each topic, the author starts with basics then follows through with more advanced concepts in a seamless manner without condescension.The chapters concentrate on teaching how to do the things everyone needs to do, answering the frequently asked questions beginners have without cutting corners on relational principles. Practicality is the watchword where another author might be tempted to explain only idealized forms.This books fits perfectly with my philosophy of learning. The explanations take the reader from beginning to advanced level seamlessly. They do not forego advanced concepts, "dumbing down" to the perceived level of the beginner. They do not try to "protect" the beginner from advanced concepts, but explain them with the same clarity as the novice ones, using language that anyone reading a newspaper could understand. In Practical SQL, both beginning and advanced concepts get the same plain language treatment. Even advanced programmers benefit from simple, clear explanations shorn of arcane jargon and obtuse concepts.Another thing I believe in is providing copious example code for the learner. They first run to the code to see what it does, then later they can modify the code in order to expand upon it, using it as a prototype (an important concept in learning, making things your own; another is modeling, using the prototype to create your own useful tools). Practical SQL is filled with examples presented in a clear style with improved presentation. Examples are flagged by side heads and use larger type. In addition, tips appear occasionally. A lot