Re: Postgresql Books: Which one ?

Thought I would add some comments to this thread. I recently bought the K. Douglas & S. Douglas (2006) "PostgreSQL: The comprehensive guide to building, programming, and administering PostgreSQL databases", 2nd ed (1006 pages). At $50, it is a bit pricey, but that is the case with all technical books (probably cheaper at Amazon than where I got it). This edition covers PostgreSQL up to version 8.0 and provides nice history, discussion of the advantages of open-source programs, and a good description of the features of PostgreSQL. Nice (and well deserved) comments about the development team.

My major criterion in deciding whether the book is worthwhile is whether it adds anything to the excellent documentation provided with PostgreSQL - after all, what other open-source program has a 1400 page manual? The book is definitely worth having. It provides nice explanations and walk-throughs for various tasks that go beyond the basic PostgreSQL documentation.

The book is organized as a tutorial around a database for a video store. This is a good way to teach the program and present examples. However, there is an inherent shortcoming in this approach if you want to use this book as a reference. If you want to look up a specific subject (e.g., SQL implementation, psql interface), you may have to look in several different places to get the information you want. This is because the explanations are presented as the specific tasks (installation, set up, etc.) are described. For a desktop reference, the information would be organized by topic rather than by task. To minimize the inconvenience, the book has a very good index.

So, bottom line, this is an extensive, tutorial-oriented text with good examples and explanations that go beyond the basic PostgreSQL documentation. It is well written, clear, and the authors clearly have a strong grasp of the technical aspects of PostgreSQL. Definitely worth having!

Michael Schmidt