This book is not an introductory treatise on SQL Server, although it does include one introductory chapter (Chapter 2). In Chapter 1, I discuss the history of the product (which I lived), from SQL Server's inception and partnership with Sybase to its current success. But beyond these early chapters, the book is very detailed and written for those who want to dig deeply into SQL Server. This book is a suitable read for those who have worked with SQL Server for years already. It will also be of interest to experienced database professionals new to SQL Server who are developing or considering new development projects.
In this book, I focus on the "back-end" capabilities of the database engine. Topics include choosing appropriate hardware for SQL Server, effective use of the SQL language, writing correct queries, common mistakes, consistency and concurrency tradeoffs, data storage and structures, locking, and scrollable cursors. Performance considerations are covered throughout the book. The final chapters (Chapters 14 and 15) discuss specific performance issues, but because they assume that you've gained much knowledge from reading earlier chapters in the book, I strongly discourage you from jumping directly to those chapters.
When I planned the book, I felt it was necessary to describe how SQL Server works before going into the product's functional capabilities. But that presents a "chicken-or-the-egg" problem: what should I introduce first? I decided to include architectural information near the beginning of the book—Chapter 3 provides an in-depth discussion of how SQL Server works. If you are already familiar with the functional aspects of SQL Server, I think you'll benefit most from this chapter. If you are new to SQL Server, I encourage you to go back and read Chapter 3 again in a couple months after you've gained more familiarity with the product. I think you'll get a lot more out of it. Initially, simply try to absorb just the basics.