Relational databases are powerful tools for organizing data, but learning to use them effectively can be painful. Relational Database Design for Mere Mortals explains the concepts of relational-database design in an easy-to-digest fashion that covers both the theoretical underpinnings and their practical implications. Hernandez covers all the basics — table and field structure, keys, relationships, business rules, and more — but always keeps his feet on the ground with advice for real-world implementations and a particularly strong section on analyzing your current database infrastructure.