C. J. Date is an independent author, lecturer, researcher, and consultant, specializing in relational database technology. He is best known for his book An Introduction to Database Systems (8th edition, Addison-Wesley, 2004), which has sold some 850,000 copies at the time of writing and is used by several hundred colleges and universities worldwide. He is also the author of many other books on database management, including most recently:

- From Addison-Wesley: Databases, Types, and the Relational Model: The Third Manifesto (3rd edition, coauthored with Hugh Darwen, 2006)

- From Trafford: Logic and Databases: The Roots of Relational Theory (2007)

- From Apress: The Relational Database Dictionary, Extended Edition (2008)

- From O’Reilly: SQL and Relational Theory: How to Write Accurate SQL Code (2009)

- From Trafford: Database Explorations: Essays on The Third Manifesto and Related Topics (coauthored with Hugh Darwen, 2010)

Another book, Normal Forms and All That Jazz, is due for publication in the near future.

Mr. Date was inducted into the Computing Industry Hall of Fame in 2004. He enjoys a reputation that is second to none for his ability to explain complex technical subjects in a clear and understandable fashion.