With its rich culture and sublime scenery, Jamaica has inspired countless artists and creatives. The nation’s pride is reflected in the music, dance, cuisine and literature that originated on the island, but has since influenced people across the globe. The legacy of Bob Marley is intricately linked with the image of Jamaica, and for novelist Ian Fleming, Jamaica was his creative incubator. Now, the most stylish Caribbean nation has inspired Assouline’s newest title, Jamaica Vibes, written by Lisa Lovatt-Smith and Novia McDonald-Whyte, with a foreword by music industry legend and Island Outpost founder Chris Blackwell. The book is now available, as part of Assouline’s iconic Travel Series.

Born to a family that made its fortune in Jamaica growing sugar cane and making rum, Blackwell grew up on the island. By the 1960s he had entered the music business and launched the careers of Bob Marley and U2. He is credited for popularising reggae throughout the world and has since been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But Blackwell is just as well-known for his passion for Jamaica and its people, and his collection of celebrity-favourite boutique hotels as part of the Island Outpost portfolio. These include the legendary GoldenEye, previously owned by Bond creator Ian Fleming, who penned his best-selling spy series from the property’s famed waterfront villa. Blackwell also owns the Strawberry Hill mountain estate (where he grew up having Sunday tea), and the honeymoon-favourite The Caves.

Blackwell contributes a forward to Jamaica Vibes, presenting an intimate, insider portrait of this vibrant island nation and its mesmerising power. The book was penned by Lisa Lovatt-Smith, former editor and fashion director at various international editions of Vogue for 15 years and Novia McDonald-Whyte, senior associate editor-lifestyle and social content at the Jamaica Observer Media Group.

Throughout the coffee table/travel book are over 200 glossy photos taken by photographers, including Slim Aarons and Adrian Boot, and feature images of the nation’s colourful culture. Over the decades Jamaica has hosted a never-ending parade of glamorous guests, including the likes of Harry Belafonte and Kate Moss, who have also shared quotes for the book.

As celebrations continue for the nation’s 61st year of Independence, Blackwell and his partner Marika Kessler have afforded yet another gift to their beloved country: Jamaica Vibes.

“Chris and I commissioned Assouline — a French contemporary luxury book publisher to create a travel book on Jamaica. We chose Assouline as they know how to bring to life the spirit, beauty, charm, soul, and the magic of a destination. Jamaica has it all and that is what we want to share with the world ‘our Jamaica’…. The book is really a work of art as it represents Jamaica by showcasing an intimate look at the ‘spirit’ of the country”, shared Kessler.