Co-written by Jamaican musicologist/broadcaster Dermot Hussey and American Malika Lee Whitney, the book was initially released by Kingston Publishers in 1981, shortly after Marley’s death from cancer.

The cover photo of Bob Marley: Reggae King of the World, initially released by Kingston Publishers in 1981, shortly after Marley’s death from cancer. Bottom: Publisher Mike Henry

At the time, Hussey worked for the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation while Whitney was a columnist with the Daily News newspaper.

“It is a very successful book and was well received. So much so, the first version has been completely sold-out,” said marketing consultant Colin Leslie. “We sold the rights to a Japanese publishing company and a company in England bought the rights, also.”

Among the updated ‘Reggae King’s features is a photograph of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie 1, taken during his three-day state visit to Jamaica in 1966, as well as a current photo of Marley’s close friend and road manager Allan “Skill” Cole.

The foreword is by Marley’s widow, Rita.

Kingston Publishers (now LMH Publishers) was owned by Mike Henry, who is also behind the promotion of the revised book.

“This book, to the best of my knowledge, is the first done on Marley’s life and what his impact on the world was and what it was going to be,” Henry told the Jamaica Observer.

In October, Henry said his company planned to reissue another Marley book in time for the singer’s February 6 birthday.

Marley and Me, a salacious piece written by Marley’s former manager Don Taylor, was released in 1994 by Kingston Publishers.

Henry said a revised edition of the book would have additional chapters, examining developments with the Marley Estate in the last decade.

He did not comment on the Marley and Me project last week.