Not too long ago I posted about Itzik Ben-Gan's excellent book Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Querying and how valuable I've found it. Well, Itzik has just completed work on his next book: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 T-SQL Fundamentals.
This is a book for people who are new to SQL programming, which is an audience that Itzik has not tackled before. Now you might think that for someone who knows more about T-SQL that anyone else in the world, writing a beginners' book should be about as difficult as sleepwalking, but this is not the case. In a recent post to the private SQL Server newsgroup for MCTs[1] Itzik had this to share:
“I always wanted to write a book about T-SQL Fundamentals, but kept postponing it until I felt I acquired enough knowledge and teaching experience to write it. Well, you never feel you have enough knowledge especially with a language and a model that are so deep, but at least enough to make a decent effort. Some may think that writing a Fundamentals book is easier than writing an advanced one, but I think it's actually the other way around, especially with SQL. Target audience for advanced books is less prone to be misled and mainly need their gaps to be filled. It's a big responsibility to teach people fundamentals, and that's one of the reasons I waited so long.”
How cool is that? Even though I don't think I'm the target audience for this book, I am definitely going to get a copy. As a trainer I'm always looking for better ways to explain core concepts, and T-SQL has enough difficult concepts that I am sure to pick up a pointer or two (or two hundred) from this book.
The book is scheduled to be released on October 22 and you can pre-order it today. So what are you waiting for?
[1] Yes, I asked his permission before posting this quote here. ;-)
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