This page maintains my list of recommended reading if you are interested in learning about databases.
This is very much work in progress – so check back here later for more.
Query Optimisation
Dan Tow: “Generating Optimal Execution Plans”
A great resource to answer the question: What query plan do you want to get?
Anjo Kolk: “Yet another Performance Profiling Method” (Slide Share)
The YAPP method is still a great way to view database performance and this provides a good introduction.
Data Modelling
Ralph Kimball: “The Data Warehouse Toolkit: The Definitive Guide to Dimensional Modeling“
This is the book that kicked off the entire dimensional modelling.
Database Architecture
Dmitry Korotkevitch: “Pro SQL Server Internals“
Learn how SQL Server does things under the hood. As of this writing, SQL Server is the mostly widely adopted database on the planet – so they must be doing something right that you can learn about
Jonathan Lewis: “Oracle Core: Essential Internals for DBAs and Developers“
Similar to the above, this is the book to read to understand how Oracle works. Oracle is the oldest database in the world to use SQL and is one of the best implementation of the language and engine.
Daniel Abadi: “DBMS Musings“
Great database blog to read and follow.