Browse Books

Reviewer: Jane B. Grimson

It is interesting to note that although dozens of new books on databases, and on relational databases in particular, are published every year, few address relational database theory in a comprehensive way. Indeed, this book is the first major book on relational database theory to be published since Maier's work [1] ten years ago. Yet even a cursory glance at the main database research journals reveals an enormous amount of research in theory over the past decade. Why, therefore, the reluctance to publish textbooks on the subject__?__ While virtually all undergraduate programs in computer science include a course on databases, the theoretical aspects are usually only covered at the postgraduate level and hence the market for such textbooks is much smaller. Another reason could be that it is difficult to make the subject interesting. Few people would sit down and read a textbook on any subject from cover to cover, and virtually no one will if the book is concerned primarily with theory. Atzeni and De Antonellis make a valiant attempt to make the subject interesting by including lots of practical examples of the theoretical concepts they present. The authors' relaxed, informal style guides the reader easily through the maze of notation. The somewhat dull visual presentation of the book does little to overcome the inherent dryness of the topic, however. The book appears to have been prepared directly from a camera-ready <__?__Pub Fmt texinput>\LaTeX<__?__Pub Fmt /texinput>-<__?__Pub Caret1>prepared manuscript, which makes the price of $51.75 (hardcover) seem high. I found the notation used unnecessarily fussy and sometimes at odds with what is commonplace elsewhere in the literature. This complexity could surely only confuse the student who is struggling to come to terms with what is undoubtedly a difficult area. On the positive side, the book provides comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of relational database theory and includes recent research results on the weak instance approach, generalization, and logic and databases. These topics occupy the last three chapters, which were well worth reading. Another useful feature of the book is a comprehensive annotated bibliography at the end of each chapter. It provides an excellent guide to the vast research literature, both old and new, and should prove invaluable to researchers. This new book on relational database theory is welcome and will provide a useful addition to Maier. Also, at approximately half the length of Maier's book, it might be less daunting.