Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Handbook: A Guide for Data Administrators, Developers and Business Analysts [Paperback]

Since this book has such a wide potential audience I'll highlight the chapters that will be of most interest to each segment. All readers will benefit from the introduction and chapter 1, which explains relational databases and entity-relationship diagrams. In particular, the E-R diagrams plus the clear discussion of keys and joins are the roadmap to the data and need to be understood by less technical users who want to fully exploit the power of SQL and PL/SQL, which are covered later in the book.

Chapters 2 and 3 cover material that more technical users will find useful: "Building the Database with the Data Definition Language" and "The Data Control and Data Manipulation Languages and the Data Dictionary". I especially liked the fact that my favorite utility, TOAD, was covered in this section - if you are a new DBA chances are you already use it. If you're a developer, chances are that you'll add it to your development environment.

The heart of this book is in Chapters 4-12. These chapters are for all readers, and they thoroughly cover SQL*Plus in detail. By the time you've finished these chapters (assuming you work through the practice exercises and put in effort) you'll be a SQL*Plus power user.

Chapter 13 covers data warehouses and shows how to use Oracle Discoverer 4.0. This material is for both technical and business users. The remaining chapters cover PL/SQL, which is aimed at the technical users. The coverage of PL/SQL is not nearly as deep as the coverage of SQL*Plus. Since most business users and the intended technical audience will benefit more from the in-depth treatment of SQL*Plus, the PL/SQL material is, in my opinion, a good introduction that can be followed up in a book, such as "Oracle9i PL/SQL Programming" by Scott Urman.

I had to check every topic by referring to other documents and manuals.

In the beginning, you see this book is like college text, not for working Oracle person. I have more than 15 years experience in Oracle and did not find it useful.

At the bookstore there were a couple of books that covered the topic but a quick browse through the books dictated this was the book for me! The others just seemed to be too 'techie' and boring.

This book guides you through the A - Z of relational Databases. From the creation of tables, populating them and then retrieving, amending and deleting information - this is a one stop shop.

There are examples to show the user exactly how to write things and also what is retrieved with each query. Everything is explained in an easily interpreted manner.

There is also a database that comes with the book and you can practice what you have learned there and then. The quiz at the end of every chapter to review what you have just learned - is also very helpful.

This should be the beginners handbook/bible to SQL - I have recommended it to everyone that I work with!