Google Books Volume API returns one book by volume id: id, title, subtitle, authors, publisher, published_date, description, page_count, print_type, isbn_10, isbn_13, language, categories, average_rating, viewability (full, partial, none or unknown), embeddable, open_access, price, thumbnail_url, cover_url, info_url, preview_url and buy_url, and dimensions when Google Books shows them. Get the volume id from the search or ISBN route. An unknown volume id returns 404.
Not available: Google Books does not offer language, print type (magazines, newspapers), ebooks-only, sort order, ratings count or related books on the data this API uses. The parameters language, print_type, ebooks and sort are rejected with a 422 error, never ignored. A field that Google Books does not show for a book is left out. Prices follow the location of the request, not the location of the caller.
Credits: 1 credit per successful request. Failed requests are not billed.
Run this endpoint
Endpoint
Parameters
Start with the required fields, then add optional filters only when your use case needs them.
Runnable path
1 required parameter needed before sending a request.
string
Required
Google Books volume id, for example nrRKDwAAQBAJ.
1234567890
Response Schema
Example response fields are illustrative; inspect the JSON before integrating.
Example response fields
Scan these fields before integrating.
data
meta
success
{
"data": {
"id": "B1hSG45JCX4C",
"title": "Dune",
"authors": [
"Frank Herbert"
],
"isbn_10": "0441013597",
"isbn_13": "9780441013593",
"info_url": "https://books.google.com/books?id=B1hSG45JCX4C",
"language": "en",
"cover_url": "https://books.google.com/books/content?id=B1hSG45JCX4C&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1",
"publisher": "Penguin Publishing Group",
"categories": [
"Fiction / Science Fiction / Space Opera",
"Fiction / Classics",
"Fiction / Fantasy / Epic"
],
"dimensions": "13.8x23.0x3.2 cm",
"embeddable": false,
"page_count": 548,
"print_type": "book",
"description": "Frank Herbert\u2019s classic masterpiece\u2014a triumph of the imagination and one of the bestselling science fiction novels of all time.Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of Paul Atreides\u2014who would become known as Muad'Dib\u2014and of a great family's ambition to bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.",
"open_access": false,
"viewability": "none",
"thumbnail_url": "https://books.google.com/books/content?id=B1hSG45JCX4C&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=5&imgtk=AFLRE71wHDwa8twDjmJYAA0NibDFCwjLakxMx3kkRXb218SEIwaTQNgbkdAa5tc6rt7el78nzozOg9KEaob3InHzrnT9dAqO8k9W4YadlVcNN9AY6zd3YBxnNbqYNiJf59xqdQeqdB1i",
"average_rating": 4.8,
"published_date": "2005-08-02"
},
"meta": {
"credits": 1,
"billable": true,
"endpoint_family": "volume"
},
"success": true
}Errors
Handle these documented responses before retrying or showing customer-facing failures.
Validation Error
A parameter is missing, invalid or not supported. This response is not billable.
{
"errors": {
"id": [
"The id must be a Google Books volume id, for example nrRKDwAAQBAJ."
]
},
"message": "The request validation failed"
}Not Found
No book has this volume id. This response is not billable.
{
"meta": {
"billable": false,
"retryable": false,
"endpoint_family": "volume"
},
"error": {
"code": "NOT_FOUND",
"message": "The requested book was not found."
},
"success": false
}Upstream Unavailable
Google Books could not be reached after several tries. This response is not billable and is retryable.
{
"meta": {
"billable": false,
"retryable": true,
"endpoint_family": "search"
},
"error": {
"code": "UPSTREAM_UNAVAILABLE",
"message": "Google Books could not be reached. Please retry shortly."
},
"success": false
}Generate Code with AI
Copy a ready-made prompt with all the endpoint details, parameters, and example responses. Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI assistant to instantly generate working code.
Try It Live
Test this endpoint in our interactive playground with real data.