Access 2007: The Missing Manual

The book does what it promises: explains to you in a fun and engaging way how to use access and explaining you the most important features while at the same time giving you the tools to learn about the least important features by yourself. An excellent book to start working with access and making very decent databases.

This book really is as useful as the title suggests. For a newbie, learning Access is a lot more than just learning what buttons to push - you really need to pick up ideas and strategies about relational database design. I found this book very practical, illuminating some things I was really stuck on. There's a lot of information in it, and I found it really clear and helpful.

This is the summary review of four Access 2007 books:
"Special Edition: Using Access 2007" (Special)
"Access 2007 Bible" (Bible)
"The missing Manual of Access 2007" (Manual)
"Access 2007 for dummies" (Dummies)

In sum, the special edition is the best. Buy the special edition. Even you are a fresh beginner on Access.

(My story? Well, I read the dummies first. Then looked at Manual, doesn't like it. So I got the bible. Still unsatisfied. Finally, I got the special edition.)I know some basics on Access 2003 and only use Access when Excel is not enough to handle my data. I started with "Access 2007 for dummies" and finished it in a couple of hours. Then I turned to "Access 2007 Bible" and "The missing Manual", the manual is the worst one and the bible just provides basics, well, maybe a bit more than, that the dummies book already covers.

The special edition provides more examples and detailed explanation on: Query, Forms, Reports, Pivot table.Not sure about the VBA part.

I also like very much the reader-friendly layout and enjoy its "what is in real world" sections at the end of several chapters.

This book also provides a good summary of basic database concepts like normalized, the importance of index, joints. The summary is very helpful especially you are a beginner.

The cover of the special edition claims that the special edition is the only Access book you need. Well, maybe not the only one, but if you have the special edition, you definitely don't need the Access 2007 Bible, The missing manual and the dummies book.

This book was simply amazing...Matthew MacDonald...what can I say about him? Well, for starters, he is amazing, he is actually the single greatest book writer of his generation...I have come to learn so much from him and his method of teaching. It isn't dry or boring, it's a book I could read before going to bed and actually enjoy...You know what, I'm going to tell you what...you buy this book and it does not meet, nay, exceed every one of your wildest expectations, well then you can hold me, Michael GARY Scott, personally and financially responsible. You rock Matt, keep these books coming!

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This is a great book, much better than almost all of the other reference books out there. I like the relaxed yet concise and accurate Missing Manual approach though in places it may not be as "funny" as the author's had hoped. That aside, this is a super guide for all of us self taught Access lovers.