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Summary: The only SQL book that doesn't read like a reference!
Review: Here are some reasons to buy this book if you wish to become proficient in SQL:1) This book does not read like a reference. It is the only SQL book that I have found that does not. 2) This book is full of practical examples, all of which start by creating new tables with SQL statements (i.e. they are self-contained). 3) This book contains a lot of context in each chapter.
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Summary: Didn't appeal to me - I wish I hadn't bought it!
Review: I can't understand why this book has been so highly rated. I bought it on the basis of the other reviews. I have found it lacking in all the areas I have needed to look up. I have found one or two useful things as well; but it seems to lack some basic (and I don't mean beginner) coverage. For example INSERTs are covered; yet there isn't any coverage about how to return an id from the INSERT. I believe the book could be improved just by addressing some of the questions being asked on SQL/VB sites. I also did not like the layout of the book. I have used SQL since the early days (1983).
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Summary: Excellent book if you have a little experience with SQL
Review: Just finished reading "Guru's Guide". There is not much I can add to all the other reviews: it is an outstanding book, and I am sure I will reach for it again and again when the real-life problems come up. I have less than 1 year SQL Server experience, so it was somewhat hard for me to read, but hey, this is called learning process (as the title implies, read something more introductory if you are a complete newbie). The only downside is that author allowed his political inclinations to show up in a couple of places in the book, hence 4 stars. Other than that, do yourself a favor and buy it!
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Summary: The first T-SQL book I turn to
Review: I'm a consultant working with SQL Server for several years now and I'm using T-SQL more and more each day. This book is THE FIRST and usually ONLY T-SQL book I reach for when I have a T-SQL question or need a solution. I also own "Transact-SQL Programming" from O-Reilly (ISBN 1565924010), but unfortunately it reads much more like a plain textbook. I really enjoy Henderson's writing style - it's very easy to read for a technical book and one of the few that I can just pickup and read anytime without falling alseep to gleem information from several of the more interesting chapters. There is not a lot of "fluff" added to enlarge the size of the book - the author gets right to the point. As a previous reviewer stated, "I began moving to the next level almost immediately." If you buy just one T-SQL reference book, this should be it.
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Summary: Absolutely Brilliant!
Review: I found The Guru's Guide to be one of the best computer books I've ever had the privilege to read. It is not just another computer book. It's a deep, insightful, provocative treatise on the language, and I'll be using it for years to come. I think these parts deserve special mention: * Quotes: each chapter begins with a thoughtful quote. These quotes have a lot to say about the industry as well as learning T-SQL. I think they add a special 'spice' to the book. * P&T chapter: the chapter on performance and tuning is worthy of its own book. It's a catalog of all the things you can do to speed up your code. * Undocumented chapter: the secrets revealed by this chapter are true gems. I'm already using many of them. * Cursors chapter: I liked the story from the trenches about the conversion. I can empathize with the author. It can be frustrating to work with poor developers. Overall, I'd say this is the best investment you can make with your SQL Server dollar. I like this book even better than Inside SQL Server, which is saying something.
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Summary: A wonderful book
Review: I like this book because it's honest. The author is obviously more than just a DBA -- he's obviously a software craftsman in his own right. This book combines a very deep knowledge of SQL Server and Transact-SQL with best practices and sound software engineering techniques to produce the best database book I've seen in a very long time. The problem with most developers learning SQL is that they tend to approach it using a 3GL mindset. The problem with most DBAs is that they tend to not be very good software developers. Mr. Henderson is obviously a skilled developer as well as an expert DBA, and his book shows that. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Celko's right -- it's the best T-SQL book out there
Review: Joe Celko's foreword to this book is exactly right: it's the best book out on Transact-SQL, bar none. More than that, this is a great book in general. It stands head-and-shoulders above most of the computer books out these days in terms of character, depth, and substance. Unlike many computer books these days, this book is not a bloated tribute to dead trees. Instead, Henderson keeps to the point, nary wasting a word. He is concise, humorous, informative, and deep -- all the things you'd want in the ideal technical book. I give this book my highest recommendation.
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Summary: A programming classic
Review: A friend gave me this book for my birthday and I must say -- it was a very fine present indeed. I have already put several of Mr. Henderson's techniques to use in my own work. The book is to the point and has character and depth that only the best books have. The best parts are (IMHO): * The SELECT chapter -- everything you ever wanted to know about the SELECT statement, including many things that you'd never guess it could do * The statistics chapter -- a cornocopia of techniques for extracting stastical info from large data banks * The transactions chapter -- at long last, someone has finally spelled out how transactions work, with complete examples for each isolation level and complete explanation for the ramifications of each * The tuning chapter -- the A-Z of tuning T-SQL queries -- everything from query hints to bcp hints to perfmon and everything in between * The undocumented chapter -- finally someone has created a one-stop-shopping repository for that hidden info many of us in the business had used, but never had a reference for I highly recommend this one. If you buy just one SQL Server book, get The Guru's Guide.
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Summary: The Best Transact-SQL Book
Review: If you are considering "Transact-SQL Programming" by Kline, Gould & Zanevsky, get this book instead, unless you work exclusively with old Sybase systems or Microsoft releases before 6.0. Henderson's book has great code examples and clear explainations. I've worked with SQL for over 10 years and still learned useful new techniques. If he writes a new edition for SQL 2000, I will buy it too.
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Summary: The ultimate Transact-SQL magnum opus
Review: Because it was called a "Guru's Guide" I didn't know whether this book expected me to already be a guru or whether it was claiming that it was written by one. Luckily for me, it was the latter. Myself, I'm relatively new to Transact-SQL. When I got this book, I very much considered myself a beginner. I'd only begun working in T-SQL about a year and a half ago. I can honestly say that this book was so full of great information that I began moving to the next level almost immediately. The author pulls no punches and delivers on his committment to avoid filler material throughout. This is a dense, gem-packed treatise on the language that belongs in the library of every would-be Transact-SQL expert. Favorite parts: - Cursor chapter (the story of the ill-fated SQL Server conversion is priceless -- I have been there, I have been there...) - Performance & Tuning chapter (could be a book unto itself) - Undocumented T-SQL chapter (because I like hidden goodies) - Preface (because it's honest) If you want to be a Transact-SQL coder or DBA worth your money, get this book and learn its many secrets inside out.
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