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Practical SQL: A Beginner's Guide to Storytelling with Data Paperback – 1 May 2018
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You’ll first cover the fundamentals of databases and the SQL language, then build skills by analyzing data from the U.S. Census and other federal and state government agencies. With exercises and real-world examples in each chapter, this book will teach even those who have never programmed before all the tools necessary to build powerful databases and access information quickly and efficiently.
You’ll learn how to:
- Create databases and related tables using your own data
- Define the right data types for your information
- Aggregate, sort, and filter data to find patterns
- Use basic math and advanced statistical functions
- Identify errors in data and clean them up
- Import and export data using delimited text files
- Write queries for geographic information systems (GIS)
- Create advanced queries and automate tasks
Learning SQL doesn’t have to be dry and complicated. Practical SQL delivers clear examples with an easy-to-follow approach to teach you the tools you need to build and manage your own databases.
This book uses PostgreSQL, but the SQL syntax is applicable to many database applications, including Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL.
- Print length392 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication date1 May 2018
- ISBN-101593278276
- ISBN-13978-1593278274
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'Best-Organized'“One of the best-organized travelogues we've seen into the SQL realm.” —Newstips Bulletin |
'Most Interesting'"One of the most interesting books about SQL I've ever read. At first glance, it looks like a guide for complete rookies. But the author raises topics that will interest advanced users." —Jakub Romanowski, LearnSQL.com |
'A Tremendous Resource'"For those of us who aren't formally part of the business or technology fields and more oriented in the social sciences, this book is a tremendous resource. The author's problem-solving processes and example datasets (often real world examples) are great for social scientists that deal with real-world messy data." —Sarah Aquino, Amazon reviewer |
About the Author
Anthony DeBarros is an award-winning journalist who has combined avid interests in data analysis, coding, and storytelling for much of his career. He spent more than 25 years with the Gannett company, including the Poughkeepsie Journal, USA TODAY, and Gannett Digital. He is currently senior vice president for content and product development for a publishing and events firm and lives and works in the Washington, D.C., area.
Who Should Read This Book
Practical SQL is for people who encounter data in their everyday lives and want to learn how to analyze and transform it. To this end, the book discusses real-world data and scenarios, such as U.S. Census demographics, crime statistics, and data about taxi rides in New York City. Along with information about databases and code, you’ll also learn tips on how to analyze and acquire data as well as other valuable insights the author has accumulated throughout his career. He doesn't focus on setting up servers or other tasks typically handled by a database administrator, but the SQL and PostgreSQL fundamentals you learn in this book will serve you well if you intend to go that route. The book contains exercises for beginner SQL coders but will assume that you know your way around your computer, including how to install programs, navigate your hard drive, and download files from the internet.

About the Publisher
No Starch Press has published the finest in geek entertainment since 1994, creating both timely and timeless titles like Python Crash Course, Python for Kids, How Linux Works, and Hacking: The Art of Exploitation. An independent, San Francisco-based publishing company, No Starch Press focuses on a curated list of well-crafted books that make a difference. They publish on many topics, including computer programming, cybersecurity, operating systems, and LEGO. The titles have personality, the authors are passionate experts, and all the content goes through extensive editorial and technical reviews. Long known for its fun, fearless approach to technology, No Starch Press has earned wide support from STEM enthusiasts worldwide.
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Review
—Newstips Bulletin
"Slightly more fun and more engaging [than Learning SQL from O'Reilly]."
—Python Programmer, YouTuber
“Practical SQL will take you from an absolute databases beginner towards becoming a database and SQL master. This book is one of those books that you feel like reading a novel, not a technical book. It uses an easy to follow and understand the approach that makes it easy to read for people from all backgrounds.”
—Sara A. Metwalli, Towards Data Science
"I recommend reading Practical SQL by Anthony DeBarros for a more in-depth look on how to implement regression analysis and other analytical tools using SQL."
—Michael Grogan, Towards Data Science
About the Author
Product details
- Language : English
- Paperback : 392 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1593278276
- ISBN-13 : 978-1593278274
- Best Sellers Rank: 77,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 203 in Computing & Internet Databases
- 389 in Programming Languages
- 425 in Software Design, Testing & Engineering
- Customer reviews:
Customer reviews
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I had received a phone call from enterprisedb the day after I had tried to get it working. It may well have been a sales call but I had no intention of ever using it again and told the caller exactly why.
For this reason the book in my opinion is absolutely useless.
I had tried checking forums to solutions to some of the error messages, but unless you have a CS degree you will struggle to follow any of the solutions given by other users. I think the author needs to have a long think about who this book is intended for and market it accordingly. It comes across as a book for non CS graduates like myself (I have a degree and postgrad in business and currently doing another undergrad in maths and physics) who just want to learn sql for data analysis purposes. This book and postgresql remind me of the times I have tried to use linux. It would require days if not weeks (I have already wasted at least 5 hours) just to get to the first chapter because of all the problems getting it to install correctly. If you are a windows user and like things to work first time, especially when learning something new I would strongly recommend you stay away from this book. If you are a linux user and enjoy wasting hours of your life trawling through forums looking for solutions to problems that should not exist in the first place this book is definitely for you.
In summary, this book is like learning to drive in a car that won't start when you put the key in.




The book is easy to follow, and rich in content.