Rating: 
Summary: At Last! Databases Explained Clearly!
Review: By far the best intro to databases I've ever seen, and having spent years as a technical writer for Oracle databases, I've seen plenty. The author makes even difficult database concepts easy to understand. He shares a career's worth of wisdom about the database industry in enlightening ways. This book provides the clearest overview of the field (from what is a database to
Structured Query Language to the latest database technologies). You can even test your learning with the sample quizzes. This should be required reading at every database company! Ideal for
database novices and useful even for database professionals who are not versed in every database speciality.
Rating:
Summary: This is the one you've been looking for
Review: Even though I have some experience as a DBA, I tried to read the book as a newcomer to the field. I found the book to be concise. Every new term was explained, and the examples were more than adequate. The author presented the material in such a way that when I did all the quizzes and the final, there were no problems understanding the questions or getting the right answer without referring back to the text. I would recommend the book to anyone, whether they are just starting out as a DBA or have been doing databases for some time.
Rating:
Summary: This is the one you've been looking for
Review: Finally, an accessible and practical window onto the wonderful world of database. This is no 'dummies' book, but really addresses the needs of that most common of souls - the professional developer that has been exposed to relational database without really getting the formal training they need. Oppel approaches the subject methodically, using the skills that he has honed over the years in his teaching. Yet, this is no academic exercise. The author seasons his explanations liberally with the pragmatic lessons that only an experienced practitioner brings to the subject.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to read and build from
Review: I'm sure that if Andy wrote a book on "Law Firms DeMystified", he could also simplify that field as well. Databases DeMystified is a very easy to read book. Read it once, do the exams. Read it again, implement all of the example solutions. Read it again with an eye on design concepts and you will have learned in three readings what it takes most DB Engineers three years to grasp. This book should be required reading for all application layer engineers to help them understand the DB layer.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to read and build from
Review: I'm sure that if Andy wrote a book on "Law Firms DeMystified", he could also simplify that field as well. Databases DeMystified is a very easy to read book. Read it once, do the exams. Read it again, implement all of the example solutions. Read it again with an eye on design concepts and you will have learned in three readings what it takes most DB Engineers three years to grasp. This book should be required reading for all application layer engineers to help them understand the DB layer.
Rating:
Summary: Good, Fast, and Easy - All Three For Almost Free
Review: I've been reading technical books for the last 20 years and this is one of my favorites! The information is clean and accurate, you can plow through the book relatively quickly, and the concepts are presented very clearly. I highly recommend it - the "arm and a leg" you save may be your own.
The subtitle says, "A Self-Teaching Guide", and that is exactly what you get. I found the prose approachable and the chapters very well organized. Other books sometimes offer an esoteric quiz at the end of the chapter, but this quiz actually helps focus the reader on the main points. Nobody leaves wondering what matters most.
The book targets the novice. However, it doesn't skimp on the critical, classic database issues such as the outer join, choosing primary and alternate keys, data normalization, good data modeling, and the differences between physical and logical design. Don't dismiss the book if you think that you are already pretty knowledgeable -- I guarantee you'll learn something new. I know that I did.
I was surprised at the treatment given to Security. Instead of limiting the discussion entirely to database security, the book expanded briefly into some adjacent areas. Anyone that works with a database should know this information, but it's hard to find it so well ordered. Great coverage.
I do have one objection. After reading it, I thought it would be great to sit down and interview the author to learn more. It's not that anything is missing, but this complex topic was made very approachable...it left me looking for more. Sometimes the audience hates you at the end of the show, but this refreshingly straightforward leaves you ready for more.
I look forward to the next book, where I expect the author explains how to "kick it up a notch" and become a Database Jedi Master. With a foundation like this, I know I'll be ready!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent beginning book!
Review: The purpose of this book is to get the reader to the point where they know enough about databases that they can perform specific database tasks (e.g. query a table, create a new table, understand an ERD). I think actually, that this book succeeds in achieving this goal. While the reader certainly shouldn't expect to be a DBA once complete, they should expect to be able to begin performing certain basic database tasks. In fact, they should have enough knowledge that they'll know where to go for more advanced help.This book begins with a basic introduction to the various types of databases, explaining the rationale for each, before explaining why this book concentrates on relational databases. After the required introduction to querying data in Microsoft Access, the book really starts to get good. The introduction to SQL is very good with examples provided in SQL*Plus. The reader is then taken through a discussion of database design. This discussion goes through the differences between various normal forms (especially the more common first through third normal forms). Next, the reader learns how to read an interpret ERD diagrams. Finally, there is a good discussion on how to actually design a database, with discussion on different kinds of constraints and keys. The last section of the book touches on some of the more complex aspects of database design and maintenance, including security, transaction support, and basic tuning. I think this is an excellent introduction to common database practices and procedures. Again, the reader shouldn't expect to be an advanced Oracle developer simply by reading this book, however, the reader should expect to know enough to complete basic database development tasks. It's a great way to start.
Rating:
Summary: Brings you up to speed with database design!
Review: This book helped me get introduced to the world of databases! Even with a non-technical background I learned quickly about database design in a hands-on fashion. The book first makes you familiar with the fundamentals, then you get introduced to SQL and finally you learn about database lifecycle, design and normalization and implementation. This is a great book for people who have to come up to speed quickly! It is easy to read and hands-on!
Rating:
Summary: Not For Beginners, One Step Up.
Review: This book is billed as a self teaching guide to understanding databases. That's true. It is also billed as a good place for the beginner to start. I don't find that to be as true as the other.
Specifically, I think this authors approach to teaching SQL is very well done, quite possibly the best I've seen. The overwhelming percentage of books for beginners, and particularly for Microsoft Access users never mention SQL at all.
On the other hand, the first chapter starts off talking about the 'Properties of a Database' including the Physical Layer, the Logical Layer, the External Layer. Then, still in the first chapter, there's hierarchical models, network models, relational models, object-oriented models, and object-relational models. This is chapter one and at the end of the chapter he says: "The remainder of this book will focus on the relational model...." Why bother going through all this mess just to be told that we aren't going to use them in the rest of the book. He promised, well the marketing people promised, on the back cover: "No unnecessary technical jargon." In my mind 'hierarchical models' is unnecessary technical jargon.
I guess that what I'm saying is that this book is not a beginners book, it is more suited for an intermediate user. For an intermediate user, ready to go beyond Microsoft Access's Query By Example (QBE), then I rate the book highly.
Rating:
Summary: Introduction to Relational Databases
Review: This book will help you understand many important concepts before you get serious about studying and designing relational databases. This author knows how to teach and I wish he would consider writing a book about mySQL database so that I would only have to read 1 book.
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