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SQL Book Recommendations? 34

Posted by Cliff from the finding-the-good-reference dept.
Daniel Myers asks: "I'm designing a MySQL database as a senior project, and I need a decent book on SQL. I've looked at the ORA Msql/MySQL book, but it's not going to be published soon enough for me to use, so does anyone have a decent recommendation? I have some SQL knowledge, but not much (I can write basic SELECT/INSERT/UPDATE statements, but that's about it)."
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SQL Book Recommendations? More

SQL Book Recommendations?

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  • Amazon.com has it down as a special order and suggests that it isn't available till August 1999. The ISBN on the new edition is 0782125395.
  • Posted by DiegoGuy:

    Well, the first thing I would do is thoroughly read James Hoffman's SQL tutorial at
    http://w3.one.net/~jhoffman/sqltut.htm [one.net].
    That should get you started quite well with SQL.
    MySQL has plenty of documentation online, use it.
  • It's Saturday 7pm, and it's still broken. I guess Rob is taking a break away from /.

    ^D
  • SQL Instant Reference
    by Martin Gruber Every big database expert I've met has this book. Not going to explain the deep inner secrets of SQL, but it comes in pretty handy when your perfecting that perfect statement. Explains basics of SQL and RDBMS's, explains syntax and compliance level for each statement. Good stuff.
  • I suppose while we're on the subject, we could talk about database theory. I've been looking for some good books on distributed object databases -- anyone have any recommendations?

  • I've had 5 different people including the guy who works at the coffeehouse ask me about the web and databases, and I always refer them to Phil Greenspun's site @ http://www.photo.net/webdb

    They usually come back with an awed look on their face and tell me they never thought computers could be that complicated. If they're lucky.

    The best database design book is Database Design for Mere Mortals.

    The best beginner's SQL reference book is SQL: A Reference Manual.

    The best advanced SQL book is SQL for Smarties.

    The best book which actually ties all of it together and shows you how it works with a web site or an application is probably Web Tools Review, or Oracle Design. IMNSHO :-).
  • I have never trusted SAMs publishing ever since I bought a book as an innocent undergrad only to find a note in the front page...

    "Due to a spelling error, all instances of the word struct have been replace with the word strict. In order to save trees, we have elected not to reprint the book, and ask you to see in your mind a struct for a strict."

    Halfway through the book there's a phrase "[...] what do we use for this ADT? Why, it's our old friend the strict."

    I was young and stupid. Never again.
  • Sorry about that, URL was wrong.

    The web tools review is Phil Greenspun's book. He also has a high signal forum at

    http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic=we b/db

  • Check out the Second Edition of "Database Systems, A Practical Approach toDesign, Implementation, and Management" by Thomas Connolly and Carolyn Begg. It's and excellent book, but it's not a "how to do SQL in 30 seconds" kind of book. It's a solid 3-inch think text book. It covers everything in a lot of detail, with a good amount of background info to help everything soak in. One of the best database beeks I've ever seen. It's by Addison-Wesly, an excellent publishing company. Their books are excellent.



    Also check out "Understanding SQL: a complete guide" By Melton and Simon. It's a great guide to the SQL-92 standard, but with a much better explanation.

  • 'The SQL Guide to Oracle' by Rick F van der Lans


    ISBN: 0-201-56545-5



    This has been the most helpful general SQL reference I've been able to find in a single book.
    Don't worry about its age (1992) or the Oracle in the title ... only a small portion of this book is Oracle specific (and thus also dated). Coupled with documentation of whatever built-in packages MySQL has, you'll be set. Good luck.

  • You're a legend! Your link is stuffed, but I found a reall great article about higher education on the domain while I was searching for it :)

    Thanks!
  • Joe has easrned my respect by writing a humorous book that is filled practical solutions to my daily problems.

    He assumes that you've had about a year or so of SQL, and goes ahead and shows you the caveats and emptors of what you are currently doing. He then covers many advanced problems, and shows good solutions to them.

    This book took my SQL writing to the next level.
  • Phillip Greenspun has an on-line SQL book that he's working on called "SQL For Web Nerds". It's a little hidden at his site - look for www.photo.net/sql [photo.net].

    It's not all new - he's pulled pieces from his other books, but it's got some useful stuff in it, and the price is right.

    Phillip's new book - "Phillip and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing" - has a fair amount of SQL within it. Phillip's book will be out anytime, but the entire text of the book is available on-line. Check out www.photo.net/wtr [photo.net] for this and other resources.


  • Surprisingly (or not), This is a fairly good explanation of ANSI-92 SQL. It covers SQL nicely, and throws in some DB design basics: Normalization, etc. It's easy to read (aren't they supposed to be?), and fairly complete.

  • SQL is pretty easy.

    the company I work for has computer based training on sql so cannot recommend a book...

    however it is as easy as

    select colume-name from table-name where condition is true..

    there is a bit more than that .. the best place to get books is with the db.. ie Oracle has a collection of books that you can get when you get there dabase software..

  • If you're more interested the relational theory behind SQL databases, try An Introduction to Database Systems by Chris Date.
  • I take a relational database class at my college, and SELECT...SQL is our reference book. It's actually not too bad. ISBN number is 0-02-386693-4. Check it out.
    Lukey Boy

    http://www.neuro-tech.net/ [neuro-tech.net]
  • The Practical SQL Handbook is a good reference to use while learning SQL. I referred to it often while "cutting my teeth" on Informix's perverse database.
  • One of the only books that addresses the hairy issue of creating complicated hierarchies in SQL.

    Very rewarding if you really sit down with it.

    We've been passing it around the office for 6 months now.

  • "Handbook of Relational Database Design"
    by Fleming and von Halle

    Leads you through all three levels of database design from start to finsh. Exhaustive and not for the faint-hearted but probably the definitive work on the subject.
  • I have to second this book, it is a great reference. Also, note that a new edition (1999) of it is available at Amazon.com, just search for "SQL Instant Reference". I haven't seen the new edition yet, so I can't comment on any changes.

    Cheers,
    Shaar
  • I recently read through this book and found it to be a very understandable guide to SQL. It's pretty easy to jump around in, too, which helps when you just need to quickly figure out one kind of query type.

    However, I was pretty floored to read much of the text, verbatim, in the on-line help for Microsoft's SQL Server 6.5. I don't know which came first, but definitely spookey!
  • Instant SQL by WORX Teach Yourself SQL in 21 days Teach Yourself T-SQL in 21 days (This is aimed at MS SQL, but I was able to pick up a lot of non-standard transaction programming which work with mySQL). Then there is always the SQL for dummies if you don't want to learn much and just need to steal some code for a quick query.
  • Some months ago I've read "The Linux Database" (look at the information below). I had no prior experience with SQL, and with this book I could learn the basics, and a little more.

    I could find it on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Books.com. Probably there are other places where you may find it. The price is around $30.00 and $40.00.

    Title: The Linux Database
    Authors: Butzen, Fred and Forbes, Dorothy
    Publisher: MIS Press
    ISBN 1558284915
  • I like Joe Selko's SQL for Smarties- the best advanced SQL book, and the Sam's book Learn SQL in 21 Days, which teaches the basics of SQL programming through batch SQL, plus has good info on the inner workings of SQL Server. If you aren't planning to use M$ SQL, this book might not be for you.

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