If you are like me and feel that 400+ pages on a subject such as SQL is overkill (for the amount of SQL features most of us use), then this is the answer. It covers all of the most useful features of SQL with examples and analysis to a level that will enable effective application in the real world. It even points out proprietary differences in implementation (Oracle/Microsoft mainly).

If you are a beginner to SQL this book won't frighten you off (nor will it leave you baffled and confused by being too short a volume to effectively cover the subject - with SQL you can get away with such a small volume, basically because it's most used functions are very simple to understand and use). Some of the coverage will leave you needing (wanting?) to read more, in particular Transactions/Triggers and Stored Procedures will demand the purchase of much larger volumes to get full mileage from them. But for what it claims to be, SQL without the fluff or overkill, this book gives you in 208 small pages, what other volumes I have read give in 800 long and tedious pages.

Having so much exposure to databases, I naturally wanted to learn the language that makes them run. I already know good database design by looking at bad design. I found it rather easy to figure out the interface for databases like SQL Server and Oracle, but I did not know how to use iSQL.

This book says right up front that it does not cover any topics specific to any database and does not go into design or other administrative tasks.

All I wanted to learn was SQL and that is all this book presented. I have recommended it to everyone on my team.