Please start any new threads on our new site at https://forums.sqlteam.com. We've got lots of great SQL Server experts to answer whatever question you can come up with.

 All Forums
 General SQL Server Forums
 New to SQL Server Programming
 Book recommendations?

Author  Topic 

Fromper
Starting Member

33 Posts

Posted - 2006-07-21 : 18:22:23
Ok, let me start by saying that I already checked the FAQ. There was one link, but it just seemed to go to a review page with 5 books, with pretty specific themes. So I'm surprised that such a basic topic as book recommendations for SQL newbies wasn't covered.

In my case, I'm not a total newbie. I learned to write SQL queries for work on both Oracle and SQL Server, and I've gotten pretty good at all the basics. So I've got "SQL for Dummies" down cold, so to speak. Now I'm looking to take my query writing ability to the next level, which I guess would be the intermediate level. I'm also looking for books that are specific to just SQL Server, rather than the books about general querying on any DBMS. Speaking of which, just so you all know, "SAMS Teach Yourself SQL in 21 Days" is an Oracle book, no matter what it says on the cover.

It looks like the book "Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Querying" comes highly recommended, but I flipped through it on the shelf at a bookstore the other day, and I think it's over my head. It might be a good reference to have around, but I think I'd be totally lost trying to read it from cover to cover.

So does anyone have recommendations for books that go beyond "This is how to do a SELECT, and here's how to do a JOIN", but won't make my head explode?

Thanks in advance,

--Fromper

tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2006-07-21 : 18:38:36
quote:
Originally posted by Fromper

So does anyone have recommendations for books that go beyond "This is how to do a SELECT, and here's how to do a JOIN", but won't make my head explode?



I'd recommend two of Ken Henderson's books: "The Guru's Guide to Transact-SQL" and "The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Stored Procedures, XML, and HTML". Both of these can be found here:

http://www.sqlteam.com/store.asp

They will make your head explode at first, but you'll get the hang of it if you do the examples and practice it.

Tara Kizer
Go to Top of Page

madhivanan
Premature Yak Congratulator

22864 Posts

Posted - 2006-07-22 : 02:10:37

http://vyaskn.tripod.com/sqlbooks.htm

Madhivanan

Failing to plan is Planning to fail
Go to Top of Page

Fromper
Starting Member

33 Posts

Posted - 2006-07-24 : 11:24:34
Thanks for the recommendations. I ended up ignoring all of them and just buying a book that looked good on the shelf. :P I'm just really reluctant to buy a book on the internet without being able to see it at a local store and look through it to see if it's what I really need.

I ended up going with "Beginning SQL Server 2005 Programming" by Robert Vieira, from Wrox Press. I'm not a programmer, but looking through this book, it did seem like most of it is exactly what I was looking for. It starts off with some chapters on basic query writing, which is mostly review for me, but getting some additional details that apply to SQL Server that I didn't get in my general "any version" SQL books could be useful.

Then, it goes into chapters on normalization, triggers, stored procedures, functions, indexes, etc. I've seen some of this stuff at work, but digging into the details is a big part of what I was looking for in a book.

Anyway, thanks for the recommendations. Expect lots of questions from me as I read through this book. ;)

--Richard
Go to Top of Page

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2006-07-24 : 11:53:29
well you really need Henderson's boook...the step up to Kalen Delaney when you're ready...



Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Add yourself!
http://www.frappr.com/sqlteam
Go to Top of Page
   

- Advertisement -