Murach's SQL for SQL Server 
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Author Bryan Syverson
Publisher Mike Murach & Associates
Length 574 pages
vbRad Rating: 4 fingers up. (4 out of 5)
Reviewed by Robert

I love Murach's books. So simple to read & understand. I wish they were around when I was starting out. I also wish they wrote books on advanced subjects with the same simplicity they do in their current books. But their nitch is beginner to intermediate and that's fine.

Just like their VB books (Classic and .NET), this one uses the cool paired-pages formatting. This means that when you open the book, on the left side you'll see the discussion of the topic, while on the right there will be images, illustrations, queires and results completely & visually explained. Perfect for going through the written material, then backing it up with other senses. When pondering the title of the book, note that SQL Server here means Microsoft SQL Server, not Sybase or anything else.

So what does this book teach. First, you'll learn some concepts, such database, server, table, etc… Then on to the tools like Enterprise Manager, Query Analyzer, Online Books.

Progressing right along, the author goes through the intricacies of SQL programming language. First with simple example, then with more advanced syntax. The section is pretty large. It covers many situations.

Perhaps the most important thing to learn from this book is information on database design. This is probably the most boring topic in the science of databases, but also most important one, whether you want to be a developer or a DBA.

The book ends with a discussion of views, stored procs, functions, triggers, transactions, etc…

A good all around book. Recommend it for anyone just starting out or someone moving to MS SQL Server from a different server.


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