When to combine, when to separate?

[lethe]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

This edition has a librarian note saying not to combine with the other editions because it also contains an essay. The essay is about Christie's life and work.

Is it really necessary to keep it separate from the rest? Lots of books containing lengthy introductions or reader's guides, author biographies etc. are combined with editions that do not have those.

Is there a clear policy on when to combine and when to (keep) separate?

[Philip]

Sounds like something we would normally combine, but I guess it would not hurt to wait and hear from somebody like rivka

[Paula]

There is no definitive policy as such, we tend to go by % difference, if 90% is different then do not combine, anthologies should contain the same stories different stories do not combine.

I would say an essay about the author is not enough to keep it as a separate edition, if the main of the book is the same as other editions

[lethe]

Sounds like something we would normally combine

I would say an essay about the author is not enough to keep it as a separate edition, if the main of the book is the same as other editions

That is what I thought. I'll wait a bit to see if rivka wants to respond. If not, I'll combine it with the other editions.

[Mike Briggs]

It is possible that the essay is 36 pages in length. As the same book in the same format/language/and translator but without the essay is listed as being 36 pages shorter.

De Zaak Styles
Translated by A. Van Iddekinge-van Thiel
221 pages
paperback
Publisher: Sijthoff
published 1988

And same book published by same publisher in 2000 is also 221 pages. Though translator name not included. Might be different translation.

De Zaak Styles
Translated by ?
221 pages
paperback
publisher: Luitingh Sijthoff
published 2000

There's another Sijthoff version as well that is also 221 pages. But no mention of translator nor of an essay.
De zaak Styles

Only other Dutch version in paperback I see with page count/etc. is by a different publisher (and is 199 pages in length).

The book with the essay:

De zaak Styles
Translated by A. Van Iddekinge-van Thiel with essay by Tomas Ross
257 pages
paperback
Publisher: Sijthoff
published 1985

[lethe]

I had a look at my own copy (ETA I have the same edition, same ISBN as the one I linked to in message #1).

The essay is 28 pages.
The list of her other works is 6 pages.
The novel itself is 221 pages.

Last page number: 256 (no pages after that). The list of other works wouldn't be counted anyway. If the essay is included (although it is about her life and works in general, not about this particular novel), the page count is 250. Without the essay 221 pages, as stated above.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Paula wrote: "I would say an essay about the author is not enough to keep it as a separate edition, if the main of the book is the same as other editions"

I agree.

[lethe]

Thanks, rivka. Have combined it with the others.

On second thought, I changed the page count to 256. The list of works is not an advertisement or preview chapter, but a bibliography, albeit a general one and not relating to this novel. If I'm wrong and the page count should be 250, please let me know.

[C.]

It was suggested to join the group in order to discuss an issue with librarians.

First, thank all of you for your work!

My question is on the subject of combining books, and I hoped to approach it here.

I just had a new book released, a 'second edition' to the existing.

When the new book was first released, it was uploaded onto GR alone, no ratings or reviews.

Later, it was combined manually and now it reflects all the reviews and ratings of the first edition.

BUT----the story is completely changed, the plot is not the same, new characters added, etc. Not really the same story at all.

So now potential readers will see all the old reviews and spoilers which will not apply AT ALL to the new edition.

Since the first edition is no longer in print, is there a way to separate the new edition and allow it to have its own reviews, sans the old ones?

Your help will be so much appreciated.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

lethe wrote: "The list of works is not an advertisement or preview chapter, but a bibliography, albeit a general one and not relating to this novel."

If they were a series, I would agree. Since it's just a general list of her works, that seems more like an advertisement for other books, rather than anything related to this one.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

C., Goodreads policy is to combine second editions with first, even if there have been significant changes. Reviews can be sorted to view only those on a specific edition, and the ratings breakdown shows both for all editions and for the specific one being viewed.

[lethe]

rivka wrote: "If they were a series, I would agree. Since it's just a general list of her works, that seems more like an advertisement for other books, rather than anything related to this one."

Thanks, have changed the page count to 250.