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And please remember, you cannot "read" yourself to better knowledge. Download a sql server (postgres if you ask me) and play around...

The big leap is imho, the difference between procedural (do-this-do-that code like most programming languages) and declarative syntax (I want "xxxx" and I don't care how you get it) which is how SQL works... And thinking in sets...

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++Postgres; ++Celko; ++play around;

Recommend Postgres' own concise tutorial: http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/tutorial-sql.html for starters.

Also, after you've cracked joins, learn the 'WITH' clause ( http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/static/queries-with.html ), it's good: 'WITH' restructures the more difficult 'middle-outward' subquery syntax to a top-down 'detail-to-summary' structure. Far easier to build, debug, and re-grok 6 months later.

Apart from postgres site, is there any good book with hands on practice exercises available on Postgres?

Celko's SQL Puzzles and Answers: http://www.amazon.com/Puzzles-Answers-Kaufmann-Management-eb...

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