Two books with the same ISBN

[Günter]

I tried to add a book (Julia y los recuerdos del silencio - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60... ) but when I entered the ISBN I was informed that another book already exists with the same ISBN (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14... ).
How ist this possible. I thought the ISBNs are unique.
Thanks in advance for your explanation
Gunter

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Well, ISBNs are supposed to be unique, but sometimes they're actually not. However, in this case, it looks to me like the nursing book really had the wrong ISBN. I fixed both books.

[Sandi]

I'm not a librarian, so take my comment for what it's worth. When I linked to Amazon from each of those books, I saw that they do have different ISBNs. If GoodReads is showing the same ISBN for both, then one is wrong.

[Günter]

Great job - thanks !

[Kelly (Maybedog)]

I have this same problem. Amazon sees both with this ISBN:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...

In Goodreads, that ISBN brings up The Prodigy: A Novel of Suspense but I scanned my book in with a hand scanner and it's this book: Bits and Pieces: 18 Small Quilts from Fat Quarters and Scraps. I don't have the book here to verify what scanned in is what was printed (I scanned it in awhile ago and donate the book) but Amazon appears to say that both have the same ISBN plus others. Suggestions?

[Koenraad]

Kelly wrote: "I have this same problem. Amazon sees both with this ISBN:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...

In Goodreads, that ISBN brings up The ..."

Both the Library of Congress and isbndb.com come up with ISBN13: 9781564777386 for 'Bits and pieces...'

http://catalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebre...

http://isbndb.com/d/book/bits_and_pie...

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Koenraad wrote: "Both the Library of Congress and isbndb.com come up with ISBN13: 9781564777386 for 'Bits and pieces...'"

But Ingram and WorldCat both have Prodigy. Sounds like the second type of alternate-cover edition.

[Kelly (Maybedog)]

Ok thanks! Guess I've got some work to do!