Rating:  - MySQL at its best
Paul DuBois is an excellent author. I bought his book, MySQL, about 4 years ago and used it until it was out of date. This new edition proves once again that he is one of the best authors and authorities in this field.
The book is complete and is a great reference for anyone wanting to dive headlong into MySQL. It goes from the very simple to the extremely complex issues facing DBAs (Database Administrators).
The only reason why I don't give his book all 5 stars is that the format of the book can be a bit unwieldy and I know this isn't totally his fault but it makes using the book a bit more difficult for me. I had a hard time finding some things but a little effort in searching paid off every time. Overall, if you are looking to MySQL for solving your database problems, you should definitely buy this one.
Rating: - Excellent reference book
This book is used at least once a day. Illustrations are clear, and examples concise. Covers all aspects of MySQL.
Only nag is that version 5.0 was obviously still evolving when this was written, so some of the new features such as triggers and views are not fleshed out well. But the author deals with that early on, and does give them some page time.
As with most open source programs, check the website -- there are some really nifty tools now available for MySQL that weren't available even a few months ago.
Worth the price -- don't wait for the fourth edition. If you do, you'll be missing out on what you can do with this amazing product.
Rating:  - Probably complete, but...
This book is full of interesting data - and is even probably complete. However when it comes to searching the information you need, this is a different story.
The biggest problem is the index. You need a refresh about the syntax of the command to dump/recover the database... don't look for "dump" or "recover" it's not in.
Even the simplest operations like "How do I extend the fields of my table?", there is neither "add" or "field" in the index (besides the FIELD() function).
Finally the information is hard to find within the chapters also. There are 13 head of chapters with non intuitive titles. The author had seemingly a hard time to manage all that information, and distributing it logically among chapters. Repetitions, omissions,... the book is not pleasant to search/follow/read.
I agree one must be glad to have a book about Mysql, this is why I gave 3 stars, but the book could be largely improved.
Rating:  - The most comprehensive reference to MySQL usage, administration, and programming currently available.
If someone approached me and asked `Mike, I want to learn MySQL ad I can only afford one book, which one would you recommend?', I would have to answer MySQL by Paul DuBois.
I actually owe my involvement with MySQL and my current employment to this book. When I was taking an Oracle course in University I found a copy of the first edition of this book in a bookstore at a discount and picked it up in the hopes that since it referred to SQL on the cover it might help me with my studies. While the book did teach me a good deal about SQL, it also taught me about MySQL, an RDBMS I would use exclusively as soon as the Oracle course was over with.
At more than 1200 pages, this is certainly the most comprehensive book on MySQL available to date. This book covers everything from installing MySQL to query optimization to PHP programming, along with everything in between. The book also provides enough reference information that it serves as a nice substitute for the MySQL documentation when you do not have internet access.
Part one of this book deals with the basics. MySQL is described, and a basic SQL tutorial is provided. Later chapters describe choosing data types and performing the various tasks that are involved in using MySQL. By the time you complete part one, you should be able to access data, create tables, join tables, and optimize your queries. For a typical user these first 300 pages should be all you need to become an advanced user (not an administrator mind you).
Part two occupies the next 250 pages and is a nice introducion to programming and instructs you in the use of the C, Perl,
and PHP APIs. While not as extensive a programming introduction as you will find in a dedicated PHP, Perl, or C book, the subject of database programming with these languages is well covered, and you should be able to write a basic database application after reading part two.
In part three, Paul DuBois descibes the administration of a MySQL database. Of particular interest should be the chapters on
administration and security. Additional subjects include file maintenance, server configuration, and replication. As with part one, part three is comprehensive and should provide solutions for anything you may encounter when administering a MySQL database.
The reference information in the appendices is quite extensive, and covers everything from installation to function and syntax references. The information should be current to MySQL 5, and is an excellent resource when you do not have access to the online reference manual
with its current information.
This is without a doubt one of the finest resources available on MySQL. This was my first MySQL book and my old first edition is well worn and has served me very well. If you need a good MySQL book that can take you from being an absolute beginner to a seasoned DBA, this is the book for you.
Rating:  - Missing sample database
The book works around a sample database which supposedly could be downloaded from a link in the book.
The link proved to be outdated and no sample database could be found.
This is a serious flaw, as the beginner has no visual reference point.
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