Search function for a book/author doesn't reveal

[Trish]

After a conversation recently about Daniel Mendelsohn's translation of Constantine Cavafy's poems, I used the terms "Cavafy" and "Mendelsohn" in the search box to find his work. I was referred to this page, but the bulk of the reviews are on this page, which does not come up when searched unless one already knows the title. Can you fix? Also, I don't know if HarperCollins actually published this book, which appears to be published in fact by Knopf. Unless HC and Knopf now own each other. Can you fix?

[Susie]

Have added C.P. Cavafy as the primary author for the complete works as well. We do not combine complete editions with part editions, so that is the best I can do on that front.

As for the publishers, WorldCat says that both of the publishers for the Complete editions are correct.

[Trish]

Susie wrote: "Have added C.P. Cavafy as the primary author for the complete works as well. We do not combine complete editions with part editions, so that is the best I can do on that front.

As for the publishe..."

Thanks so much for your help on this.

[Trish]

Uh, just tried that search combination again, e.g., "Cavafy", and "Mendelsohn", and I still get the same three options, when in fact there is the option I mentioned but do not see: C.P. Cavafy: Collected Poems. Oh! I get it now. The Collected Poems that comes up in the search has different translators and is not Mendelsohn. Perhaps that is what we should be fixing. Please note the difference in titles.

The 2013 HarperCollins book is/was/will be published as THE COMPLETE POEMS OF C.P.CAVAFY, but the book I would like to find when I am searching is C.P.CAVAFY: COLLECTED POEMS (2009). I have no idea what the difference is, except that one might be more complete, i.e., contain the "unfinished poems" as well.

[Deon]

The only way you are going to get C. P. Cavafy: Collected Poems is by ISBN (9780375400964, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...), otherwise it will be the most popular edition, which is Collected Poems by C.P. Cavafy (9780691015378) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

looking at the table of contents of both (via, amazon look inside) they both have unpublished poems. the copyright page also indicates they are the same book (just translated by different people) GR's policy is they will stay combined.

[Trish]

Deon wrote: "The only way you are going to get C. P. Cavafy: Collected Poems is by ISBN (9780375400964, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...), otherwise it will be the most popular edition..."

Thanks for the clarification. I did not understand your method.

[Trish]

Hi, again. I gave myself some time to think about my question and your response, and I think we did not yet get to the heart of my/our problem. Please bear with me.

I don't actually think this has anything to do with policies and practices and "the most popular edition" or anything like that. The books about Cavafy poems translated by Mendelsohn should come up when I do that search. Of the books that do appear, one (Collected Poems)is not his (popular or not, though I concede it has a similar title to Mendelsohn's). Of the other two that come up, one is relevant (that is the second title, The Unfinished Poems, and a title by Mendelsohn which is not only not popular, it has never been rated by anyone, and it has a publisher of HarperCollins when in fact, this book was published in paperback by Knopf. I suppose I could change the book info myself, being a "Goodreads librarian", but I don't have the understanding to change the search results to include this link, which does not come up no matter how I search unless I go to Mendelsohn's author page. It does not come up when I use the link above for "add book/author," it does not come up when I search for "Mendelsohn", nor does it come up when I search for "Cavafy," or even "Cavafy Mendelsohn". It is hard to find. And, since it has exactly the same number of ratings as a similiarly-titled by different authored book (pictured here), it stands to reason that this would be an important edition to put in the search results for a volume of Cavafy poems.

I hope I am not raving...I don't even know Mendelsohn, though I wish him well. I just saw this glitch and tried to work around it for several days and then decided it is truly a glitch and needs to be fixed if possible. If you don't understand me, let me know and I will try to come at it from a different direction.

[Deon]

This is not a glitch, this is how the search works. The book you want to show up (C. P. Cavafy: Collected Poems, 9780375400964) is combined with Collected Poems by C.P. Cavafy (9780691015378) They are the same book, translated by different people (GR's policy: Even though many translations differ significantly, we've made the decision to combine them all)

Here are all the editions that are combine with those. https://www.goodreads.com/work/editio...
ISBN: 9780375400964 is listed 3rd on the list.

Collected Poems by C.P. Cavafy (9780691015378) has 774 ratings
C. P. Cavafy: Collected Poems (9780375400964) has 67 ratings

Collected Poems is the most popular, and will show up first in the search.

The Unfinished Poems & The Complete Poems of C.P. Cavafy (by Mendelsohn) differ in content and are not combined with other works. That is why you are seeing them individually.

https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8...

[Trish]

Thank you very much for clarifying that. I am definitely not trying to be difficult. But we must be looking at different things because what I pull up on my screen is that both Cavafy: Collected Poems (9780375400964) with 1.353 ratings and 86 reviews and Collected Poems ( 9780691015378) with 1,353 ratings and 86 reviews have exactly the same number of ratings. In fact, I was wondering if everyone wasn't rating one in lieu of having an option for the other.

I think I will just send you a screenshot of both so we don't keep going round and round on this, but oh! I did that in the earlier email. Okay, I'll try again. C.P. Cavafy: Collected Poems and Collected Poems. Different authors, etc.

But that aside, can we agree that when I search for Mendelsohn, his works should appear? This particular one does not, but in fact a different book by a different translator comes up. Am I wrong?

[Deon]

The ratings you are mentioning ( 1.353 ratings and 86 reviews) are not for specific editions, but the book (editions) collectively. You must be on the all editions page to see them individually. https://www.goodreads.com/work/editio...

When you search https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8..., you will see "4.37 avg rating — 1,354 ratings — published 1975 — 68 editions" if you click 68 editions, Mendelsohn is there 3rd down the list, but will not show up in the search specifically because it is not the most popular.

If you want to see his work specifially you have to go to the Mendelsohn's author https://www.goodreads.com/author/list... 2nd down the list

[Trish]

Oh, wow. I had no idea it was possible to do that. It is very cool, but I wonder if I would be smart enough to continue searching by clicking "editions" if I was looking for something and didn't know if it existed. But thank you. You have clarified one problem at least, and you have been very patient with me.

[Deon]

Librarians have no real control over search results (except by fixing incorrect book records that can skew them). But you should try the Feedback Group https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... with your suggestions.

[Trish]

Deon wrote: "Librarians have no real control over search results (except by fixing incorrect book records that can skew them). But you should try the Feedback Group https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/......"

Okay. If I feel I have the time/stamina to do this again, perhaps I will.