I have some good books on database theory (covering relational calculus, tuples, normal forms etc.) but I'd like a nuts-and-bolts text on appropriate database design: appropriate schema design choices and practical issues that come up in the field.
Not so much theory oriented but from the perspective of being in the trenches. Could you recommend your favorites?
Not exactly a book, but I have found that following the same methods that Ruby on Rails uses generally produces excellent database design even if you're not using RoR. However, any time that you deal with inheritance, you will probably want to find a better solution than RoR offers. While not too bad, it's not the most elegant solution IMHO.
You might just play with RoR and make a few migrations to see how the actual database looks.
Michael Hernandez' Database Design for Mere Mortals is a good book that talks alot about how to gather specifications; interpret what your clients are telling you; and translate specifications into a reasonable schema. The prose is straightforward and gets his points across by reiterating them in various ways throughout the book. This is not a language reference though it does cover some basics. It's more about design philosophy.
I would recommend:
The Data Model Resource Book 1
The Data Model Resource Book 2
The Data Model Resource Book 3
A bit expensive, but so worth it!