database design

There are not much SQL books out there on the market. SQL, is some what a tricky language. The theory is simple starter texts are available but what you would really like to see is a result set of the kind you want in a reasonable time, without client side workarounds. Celco in this book presents good solutions to "real" real world problems rather than teaching SQL on a employee database. The ideas are formalized, but the text should have been edited much better. If you earn your money out of RDBMS's, this book shoul be on your shelf.

Absolutely not a beginner or an intermediate book. For advanced programmers only.

Joe Celko knows SQL. He may make some typos as a writer but make no mistake... this guy knows what he's talking about. He knows the language and the mechanics of the major database engines. But more importantly, he understands the logic of it all. Some of his SQL moves are simply brilliant.

I develop enterprise applications and am called upon now and then to create some very challenging SQL. Celko has bailed me out several times. I have the book as a reference source right next to my database reference manuals. He is full of ideas and often times I am looking for an idea, not a recipe.

This is a book for people who have a good knowledge of SQL. It will stimulate your thinking and programming. It isn't a book for beginners. In the right hands, SQL for Smarties will really add some sizzle to your SQL coding.

Brianne Elizabeth Corbett - IBM Global Services

If you need to sling some really nasty SQL which you probably shouldn't be writing in the first place, then this book is for you. Celko is the man. As a cover-to-cover read, you will pick up on a lot of new SQL techniques, but in general, this is a "I know where to look when I need to know that book." If you know the basics of SQL and want to start your SQL Master training, then start here. Just keep it close by when you need to remember how Celko was able to get "that" to work.