Now there's a practical, hands-on guide to SQL for millions of beginning-to-intermediate database users who desperately need to create fast, accurate, effective queries -- whether they have formal database training or not. The authors begin by introducing the fundamental concepts underlying relational databases and SQL. They then introduce the absolute basics of SQL, including the SELECT statement, creating expressions, and applying filters. Next, they introduce techniques for solving one of the most common problems database users encounter: drawing data from multiple tables at once. The book includes detailed coverage of grouping, totaling, and summarizing data; using SQL to update, insert, and delete data; and more. In the final section, Hernandez and Viescas introduce thinking out of the box techniques that allow users to solve a wide variety of complex SQL problems. Most chapters end with sample problems, solutions, and result sets -- all based on a library of five real-world databases included on the accompanying CD-ROM.