If a book has the same name but a different ISBN is it the same book?!?

Question

I have to buy a text book for my Maths course and when I look it up in Whsmith.co.uk it comes up with a Hardback copy with 544 pages or a paperback copy with 128 pages. Obviously the Paperback copy is cheaper but if I buy it will it be a completely different book than the one that I'm trying to buy?!?

Answer 1

Every book published is allocated an individual ISBN. A novel published in hardback and in paperback will have two different ISBNs but the text will be the same (unless it's in translation, annotated, abbreviated etc)

For your prospective purchase it's important that you check the authors' names and the edition. If these are the same, you can safely buy the cheaper (paperback) edition.

You could try asking at the university/college bookshop if you have one as they may have arranged with the academic staff of the establishment to order in stocks of the appropriate texts. A good local bookshop also often has book lists from local educational establishments and may be able to advise you on which edition is recommended. They can also advise you on availability, reprints, new editions etc.

Answer 2

As well as the ISBN, check the edition statement, if there is one. It should be in the form: "2nd ed.", or "3rd ed., rev.". If there is such a statement, the chances are that there will be changes to the text in the book.
Otherwise, if there's only the one edition, the ISBN represents different manifestations of the publication - so, you'd have two ISBNs, one for hardback and one for paperback, but both should contain exactly the same information.

From your description, though, I'd say that the paperback was either a revised edition, or an abridged edition. There shouldn't be that much difference in the pagination between the paperback and the hardback copies if they were the same edition.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

you need to get the book with the isbn that has been requested to get the right one- this will be on the book cover- it usually refers to a specific edition and publication.

however, some course books are listed before the paperback came out, so the teacher will still be using the isbn for the hardback as that was all that was available at the time.

i bought a book once with the same title, but not the same isbn- it was hopeles as i could never find the pages the teacher was going on about and it did not have the extra notes.

the difference in pages should tell you you need the hardback i would say.

Answer 4

That's not supposed to happen, but it wouldn't surprise me if it does occasionally, either through administrative errors or a misguided marketing guy trying to save a bit of money. If he moved to a new publisher, and the publisher reissued one of his books under a new name, it would definitely have a different ISBN, because the first few digits of the ISBN specify the publisher.

Answer 5

Paperback books and hardback books always have different ISBNs even if they are the same book. To be sure that you are getting the correct book check other details eg. which edition is the book? who are the authors or editors of the book?

Answer 6

Yes it will be a completely different book.

The ISBNs differ when - different authors, different publishers, different years. Also the information/page lay out will differ between years and whether it's hardback or paperback.

Answer 7

The ISBN number just identifies that particular format of book. Therefore, a book that's published in paperback and hardcover will have different ISBN's, one for the paperback and one for the hardcover.

Answer 8

ISBN is the most accurate way to find the EXACT book you are looking for, different editions and versions (international.. ect) have different ISBN #s

try finding your book on Textbook411.com , its the best palce to find good deals on books and textbooks

Answer 9

No it's usually by a different publisher or a different published year.