The third volume in Shlomo Sela's projected comprehensive series of critical editions with translations into English of the astrological works of the mediaeval scholar Abraham Ibn Ezra has now been released by the publisher, Koninklijke Brill NV of Leiden, the Netherlands, a month ahead of schedule (publication was slated for October 2011 but has been brought forward). I received notification of this only this morning.

It is called: Abraham Ibn Ezra on Elections, Interrogations, and Medical Astrology. And it comprises several treatises that have not previously appeared in English translation at all: The Book of Elections (in three versions), the Book of Interrogations (also in three versions), and the Book of the Luminaries.

This follows on from Sela's previous releases of The Book of Reasons (August 2008) and the Book of the World (November 2009) in the same series.

These are serious academic hardcover books with prices to match, but essential for the committed librarian of historical astrological texts.

Current pricing at two leading online retailers is:

The Book of Reasons (368 pp): Amazon.com: $167; Bookdepository.com: 115.15 Euros / $165.80
The Book of the World (356 pp): Amazon.com: $147; Bookdepository.com: 88.30 Euros / $127.13
Elections, Interrogations, Medical (540 pp): Amazon.com: $257; Bookdepository.com: 160.86 Euros / $231.61

Bookdepository has recently been purchased by Amazon but continues to offer cheaper prices which also include international delivery. Another point to bear in mind for those put off by the high cost of academic books is that Bookdepository currently has a 25% discount policy on purchases made before books are released. You have to pay in advance but savings can be significant on these kinds of books if you are clued in to upcoming releases. Clearly it's too late for these ones in that respect, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to pass on that information as general advice for the future reference of those interested.

Shlomo Sela is to be congratulated on persisting with his ambitious undertaking.