I am not able to access the mysql prompt as after typing this mysql - u root
in the command line according to the book Agile Web Development with Rails, 4th Edition . Instead i am getting a list of options as :

mysql - u root

mysql  Ver 14.14 Distrib 5.5.46, for debian-linux-gnu (i686) using readline 6.3

Copyright (c) 2000, 2015, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.



Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its

affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective

owners.



Usage: mysql [OPTIONS] [database]

  -?, --help          Display this help and exit.

  -I, --help          Synonym for -?

  --auto-rehash       Enable automatic rehashing. One doesn't need to use

                      'rehash' to get table and field completion, but startup

                      and reconnecting may take a longer time. Disable with

                      --disable-auto-rehash.

                      (Defaults to on; use --skip-auto-rehash to disable.)

  -A, --no-auto-rehash 

                      No automatic rehashing. One has to use 'rehash' to get

                      table and field completion. This gives a quicker start of

                      mysql and disables rehashing on reconnect.

  --auto-vertical-output 

                      Automatically switch to vertical output mode if the

                      result is wider than the terminal width.

  -B, --batch         Don't use history file. Disable interactive behavior.

                      (Enables --silent.)

  --character-sets-dir=name 

                      Directory for character set files.

  --column-type-info  Display column type information.

  -c, --comments      Preserve comments. Send comments to the server. The

                      default is --skip-comments (discard comments), enable

                      with --comments.

  -C, --compress      Use compression in server/client protocol.

  -#, --debug[=#]     This is a non-debug version. Catch this and exit.

  --debug-check       Check memory and open file usage at exit.

  -T, --debug-info    Print some debug info at exit.

  -D, --database=name Database to use.

  --default-character-set=name 

                      Set the default character set.

  --delimiter=name    Delimiter to be used.

  --enable-cleartext-plugin 

                      Enable/disable the clear text authentication plugin.

  -e, --execute=name  Execute command and quit. (Disables --force and history

                      file.)

  -E, --vertical      Print the output of a query (rows) vertically.

  -f, --force         Continue even if we get an SQL error.

  -G, --named-commands 

                      Enable named commands. Named commands mean this program's

                      internal commands; see mysql> help . When enabled, the

                      named commands can be used from any line of the query,

                      otherwise only from the first line, before an enter.

                      Disable with --disable-named-commands. This option is

                      disabled by default.

  -i, --ignore-spaces Ignore space after function names.

  --init-command=name SQL Command to execute when connecting to MySQL server.

                      Will automatically be re-executed when reconnecting.

  --local-infile      Enable/disable LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE.

  -b, --no-beep       Turn off beep on error.

  -h, --host=name     Connect to host.

  -H, --html          Produce HTML output.

  -X, --xml           Produce XML output.

  --line-numbers      Write line numbers for errors.

                      (Defaults to on; use --skip-line-numbers to disable.)

  -L, --skip-line-numbers 

                      Don't write line number for errors.

  -n, --unbuffered    Flush buffer after each query.

  --column-names      Write column names in results.

                      (Defaults to on; use --skip-column-names to disable.)

  -N, --skip-column-names 

                      Don't write column names in results.

  --sigint-ignore     Ignore SIGINT (CTRL-C).

  -o, --one-database  Ignore statements except those that occur while the

                      default database is the one named at the command line.

  --pager[=name]      Pager to use to display results. If you don't supply an

                      option, the default pager is taken from your ENV variable

                      PAGER. Valid pagers are less, more, cat [> filename],

                      etc. See interactive help (h) also. This option does not

                      work in batch mode. Disable with --disable-pager. This

                      option is disabled by default.

  -p, --password[=name] 

                      Password to use when connecting to server. If password is

                      not given it's asked from the tty.

  -P, --port=#        Port number to use for connection or 0 for default to, in

                      order of preference, my.cnf, $MYSQL_TCP_PORT,

                      /etc/services, built-in default (3306).

  --prompt=name       Set the mysql prompt to this value.

  --protocol=name     The protocol to use for connection (tcp, socket, pipe,

                      memory).

  -q, --quick         Don't cache result, print it row by row. This may slow

                      down the server if the output is suspended. Doesn't use

                      history file.

  -r, --raw           Write fields without conversion. Used with --batch.

  --reconnect         Reconnect if the connection is lost. Disable with

                      --disable-reconnect. This option is enabled by default.

                      (Defaults to on; use --skip-reconnect to disable.)

  -s, --silent        Be more silent. Print results with a tab as separator,

                      each row on new line.

  -S, --socket=name   The socket file to use for connection.

  --ssl               Enable SSL for connection (automatically enabled with

                      other flags).

  --ssl-ca=name       CA file in PEM format (check OpenSSL docs, implies

                      --ssl).

  --ssl-capath=name   CA directory (check OpenSSL docs, implies --ssl).

  --ssl-cert=name     X509 cert in PEM format (implies --ssl).

  --ssl-cipher=name   SSL cipher to use (implies --ssl).

  --ssl-key=name      X509 key in PEM format (implies --ssl).

  --ssl-verify-server-cert 

                      Verify server's "Common Name" in its cert against

                      hostname used when connecting. This option is disabled by

                      default.

  -t, --table         Output in table format.

  --tee=name          Append everything into outfile. See interactive help (h)

                      also. Does not work in batch mode. Disable with

                      --disable-tee. This option is disabled by default.

  -u, --user=name     User for login if not current user.

  -U, --safe-updates  Only allow UPDATE and DELETE that uses keys.

  -U, --i-am-a-dummy  Synonym for option --safe-updates, -U.

  -v, --verbose       Write more. (-v -v -v gives the table output format).

  -V, --version       Output version information and exit.

  -w, --wait          Wait and retry if connection is down.

  --connect-timeout=# Number of seconds before connection timeout.

  --max-allowed-packet=# 

                      The maximum packet length to send to or receive from

                      server.

  --net-buffer-length=# 

                      The buffer size for TCP/IP and socket communication.

  --select-limit=#    Automatic limit for SELECT when using --safe-updates.

  --max-join-size=#   Automatic limit for rows in a join when using

                      --safe-updates.

  --secure-auth       Refuse client connecting to server if it uses old

                      (pre-4.1.1) protocol.

  --server-arg=name   Send embedded server this as a parameter.

  --show-warnings     Show warnings after every statement.

  --plugin-dir=name   Directory for client-side plugins.

  --default-auth=name Default authentication client-side plugin to use.



Default options are read from the following files in the given order:

/etc/my.cnf /etc/mysql/my.cnf /usr/etc/my.cnf ~/.my.cnf 

The following groups are read: mysql client

The following options may be given as the first argument:

--print-defaults        Print the program argument list and exit.

--no-defaults           Don't read default options from any option file.

--defaults-file=#       Only read default options from the given file #.

--defaults-extra-file=# Read this file after the global files are read.



Variables (--variable-name=value)

and boolean options {FALSE|TRUE}  Value (after reading options)

--------------------------------- ----------------------------------------

auto-rehash                       TRUE

auto-vertical-output              FALSE

character-sets-dir                (No default value)

column-type-info                  FALSE

comments                          FALSE

compress                          FALSE

debug-check                       FALSE

debug-info                        FALSE

database                          (No default value)

default-character-set             auto

delimiter                         ;

enable-cleartext-plugin           FALSE

vertical                          FALSE

force                             FALSE

named-commands                    FALSE

ignore-spaces                     FALSE

init-command                      (No default value)

local-infile                      FALSE

no-beep                           FALSE

host                              (No default value)

html                              FALSE

xml                               FALSE

line-numbers                      TRUE

unbuffered                        FALSE

column-names                      TRUE

sigint-ignore                     FALSE

port                              3306

prompt                            mysql

quick                             FALSE

raw                               FALSE

reconnect                         TRUE

socket                            /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock

ssl                               FALSE

ssl-ca                            (No default value)

ssl-capath                        (No default value)

ssl-cert                          (No default value)

ssl-cipher                        (No default value)

ssl-key                           (No default value)

ssl-verify-server-cert            FALSE

table                             FALSE

user                              (No default value)

safe-updates                      FALSE

i-am-a-dummy                      FALSE

connect-timeout                   0

max-allowed-packet                16777216

net-buffer-length                 16384

select-limit                      1000

max-join-size                     1000000

secure-auth                       FALSE

show-warnings                     FALSE

plugin-dir                        (No default value)

default-auth                      (No default value)

I have also checked about the server status , and it's running currently. Please if anyone can help me to get entered into the mysql command prompt from where i can execute the mysql commands for my particular database. Thank you .