Rating: 
Summary: This is a great book...
Review: This is a great book for SQL beginners. Each chapter is explained very well and the book goes step by step so reader do not get lost. I really like the examples about how syntax differ from SQL Server to ORACLE and some other systems. However, would be nice to have either at the beginning or at the end of the chapters all the tables with their attributes filled in. So, reader will be able to see much clearly the changes from the original tables to the new tables after using the code.
Rating:
Summary: Short and Sweet.
Review: I've always dreaded reading those 1000+ page computer books, so when I had to learn SQL, this book caught my eye. It is short, and gets to the point very fast. Each chapter, about 10 minutes long (As the book's title suggests), has a brief explanation of the code, an example or two, and some more code. I'm very pleased that I have finally found a book that does not assume I am an incapable novice. Of course, the book does not provide a thorough explanation of SQL. However, if you need a brief understanding of it, for something like ColdFusion, this book can't be beaten. The writing style is neat and easy to understand, and the organization of the book is very neat and clean. I wish all computer books could be written like this.
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Summary: Best Intro to SQL
Review: SQL is not a topic you want to jump headlong into. An intro as concise and comprehensive as SQL in 10 minutes is worth it's weight in Gold. I know, because I read several "developers" SQL books first, and found myself overwhekmed and confused. This book cleared things up and opend my eyes. Thanks Ben Forta!
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Introduction and Quick Reference
Review: Structured Query Language (SQL), if it is a foreign tongue to you, after reading this book carefully, you'll speak SQL. From the start, the author explains the purpose of the language, to query relational databases, and he also defines what relational databases are. He covers how databases are tables of data containing columns and rows. In a well-organized sequence of chapters, he describes how each SQL command affects those rows and columns. My suggestion with the text is to divide its reading into two parts. If you're new to computer programming, read Chapters 1-16, then try an online free SQL tutorial on the Web for awhile. Once you get comfortable with searching for data, come back and do the last chapters, which have a programming emphasis. With constant practice, SQL programming can become straightforward and quick for you. The book has clear descriptions and is useful for the newcomer to SQL.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad at all
Review: Despite the type-Os, this book is pretty good for anyone new to SQL, it's a good kind of get your foot in the door book. The chapters are short and to the point, that's the difference from this and other books, no long winded explanations and nothing to confusing, very brief.
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Summary: One the best learn in a hurry books you will find
Review: Several years ago, I taught myself SQL by slogging slowly through a teach yourself book. While I did learn it, the process was one of struggle. In the years since then, I have examined many additional SQL books, targeted at different levels. However, when it comes to books designed for the person who needs to achieve reasonable competence in a short time, this is one of the best. I mean this to include more than SQL, but to encompass all quick and dirty learning books in general. While the pace is fast, the coverage is such that all of the introductory main points are covered in the proper ways. The inclusion of the ten minutes in the title would appear to be a bit of marketing hype, but that is not the case. Each of the lessons takes about ten minutes to go through, making it one of the most efficient learning materials you will ever find.
While the material is presented as examples, this is not an explicit hands on book. Each example is presented, along with a listing of the expected results. However, the example database and source code are available for download from the companion web site.
Occasionally, you encounter an educational book that just seems to hit on all cylinders. This is such a book and it will give you the knowledge to start using SQL in a very short time.
Rating:
Summary: Great Companion
Review: This is an excellent book for reference. Isn't much for just reading through, but if you are not a prof. DBA and you can't remember just what the syntax for a specific type of "XXXX" then this book is in-valuable in helping you quickly get back to work.
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Summary: Concise, thorough, and quick!
Review: I had seen a little SQL and dabbled with basic queries but needed a desk reference with a little more depth and some of the intricacies, but not so overbearing I'd never open it. This book did it! I enjoyed reading a short chapter or two during work-breaks and learned quite a bit. This book should suffice for all my SQL work...definitely worth the minimal price, quick-paced reading, and easy examples! Go for it!
Rating:
Summary: Concise and lucid.
Review: This book is a gem for those who want to use SQL for reading, writing, and otherwise working with data. The author himself points out that there are many good books on relational database design, database administration, etc., and sets his sights on explaining the fundamental but very frequently used syntax of working with records. The book is concise and lucid with many brief, helpful examples. I have to admit that I tend to "cheat" in writing SQL: I use the design view in Access first and edit the SQL from there. The problem was that I never really got a good active understanding of SQL and was too passively dependent on Access. Before reading this book, I had only a vague notion of the difference between "group by" and "where" and when to use them. This is one topic among many that he explains well. For a book of this brevity and level, there is a lot of good information.
Rating:
Summary: Good as a basic intro, but don't depend solely on this book
Review: This book is clearly aimed at the beginning SQL programmer with little or no knowledge of relational databases. It's a good intro that will quickly get the reader up to speed at writing some very simple queries and updates on an existing database.However, in working with other programmers, I've learned that it's true about a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. If your only knowledge of SQL and relational databases comes from this book, you're in danger of missing out on some very basic information, such as how to normalize a database or perform an outer join. If you learn SQL from this book, you'll quickly want to get another book on SQL that's more complete to fill you in on this missing critical information. Unless for some reason you need to start programming in SQL as soon as possible (in other words, before you understand what you're doing), just skip this book and buy just the more complete book.
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