New Releases by Chris Scott

In 1980, a quirky Japanese drum machine hit the scene—and the world hasn't stopped thumping since. Imagine a box of circuits, dismissed as a flop, that birthed the seismic boom of hip-hop's golden age, the hypnotic haze of acid house raves, and the trap anthems rattling stadiums today. The Roland TR-808 wasn't built for glory; it was forged in Ikutaro Kakehashi's Osaka workshop as an affordable rhythm sketchpad for broke songwriters. Priced at $1,195 and discontinued after just 12,000 units, its analog heart—tunable kicks that rattle your soul, claps like scattered applause, hi-hats flickering like distant stars—found its way into pawn shops and Bronx basements. There, it ignited revolutions. From Afrika Bambaataa's interstellar "Planet Rock" to Marvin Gaye's sultry "Sexual Healing," Quincy Jones's Thriller thunder, and Travis Scott's psychedelic "Sicko Mode," the 808 became the unsung co-writer of modern music. It powered Chicago warehouses where Frankie Knuckles spun house ecstasy, Detroit garages birthing techno gods like Juan Atkins, and Atlanta trap labs crafting bass quakes for Gucci Mane and Migos. A "failure" that democratized beats for Black and brown innovators shut out of ivory-tower studios, the 808 didn't just make sounds—it made history, shaking genres, cultures, and subwoofers from Lagos to Ibiza. Dive into this electrifying saga: the machine's improbable genesis, underground uprising, global conquest, iconic anthems, and enduring echo in 2025's AI-augmented beats. The Beat That Shaped the World is more than a biography—it's a love letter to rhythm's raw power, proving one humble box could remix the human heartbeat.

The Synth That Shaped the World: The History of the Roland Jupiter-8 Synthesizer by Chris Scott When the Roland Jupiter-8 arrived in 1981, it was more than a musical instrument — it was a technological revolution wrapped in brushed aluminium and glowing orange light. In studios and on stages across the world, it gave sound to the decade's most daring artists: Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Howard Jones, Prince, and the visionary film composers who defined the electronic age. In The Synth That Shaped the World, historian and musician Chris Scott traces the full story of this legendary instrument — from its creation in Roland's Hamamatsu laboratories to its reign across pop, new wave, and cinema, its disappearance in the digital era, and its stunning resurrection in the twenty-first century. Blending meticulous research with an ear for storytelling, Scott explores how the Jupiter-8 bridged art and engineering, analog soul and digital control, and why, more than forty years later, its luminous sound still defines what the future feels like. Lavishly detailed and deeply human, The Synth That Shaped the World is both a history and a love letter — to the engineers who built it, the musicians who believed in it, and the audiences who never stopped hearing its glow.

James Beard Award Nominee From renowned chef Chris Scott comes a first-of-its-kind, richly narrative cookbook that celebrates an under-explored foodway in the African diaspora: Amish soul food. In HOMAGE, Chris Scott tells the remarkable story of his family over seven generations via comforting dishes and vivid narratives: From his enslaved ancestors to his great-grandfather, who migrated to Pennsylvania after the Emancipation Proclamation, to his own childhood in Amish country, and, ultimately, his successful restaurant career in Philadelphia and New York City. In this tribute to those who came before him, Chris Scott shares 100 dishes born of a unique blend of Southern, German, and Dutch cuisines, including Chicken Fried Steak with Sassafras Country Gravy, Charred Radicchio Salad with Roasted Grapes and Shaved Amish Cheddar, and the ultimate Whoopie Pies. Stunning photography evokes the rich history of these distinct cultures. HOMAGE is a must-have for home cooks who love JUBILEE and Carla Hall, who enjoy soul flavors or Midwestern food, or who are drawn to cookbooks with vivid storytelling, a sense of place, and a new point of view. UNEXPLORED FOODWAY: One of the many unexplored foodways in the African diaspora, Amish soul food is a novel cuisine in the publishing world. HOMAGE is a celebration of Black culture and food, and an exploration of a culinary region—one that has never before been highlighted in a cookbook. …AND YET THIS IS A FAMILIAR CUISINE: The Great Migration from the South in the decades following the Civil War, combined with the strong influence of Dutch, German, and Scandinavian settlers over a wide swath of the United States, from New York and Pennsylvania deep into the Midwestern states, makes the recipes in the book new variations of familiar dishes. From collard greens to spätzle, country fried steak to German chocolate donuts, this is recognizable, delicious food that will resonate with anyone who enjoys Southern, soul, and German, Dutch, or Scandinavian cuisine. Perfect for: Fans of Chris Scott from his stint on Top Chef or via his restaurants in Brooklyn and NYC Fans of soul food, Southern food, and/or German/Dutch food Those looking for elevated comfort food Foodies who collect regional or narrative cookbooks rich with history and visuals People who bought NOTES FROM A YOUNG BLACK CHEF, SOUL, or VICTUALS

Packrafts are rugged, portable rafts, small enough to attach under a rucksack, but stable on the water to reassure first time paddlers. Weighing from 1-3 kilos, they open up a whole new world of amphibious adventuring, from navigating easily accessible waterways to discovering more challenging rivers and lochs only reachable on foot or bicycle. Packrafting: A Beginners' Guide is a perfect introduction to the game-changing recreational opportunities opened up by packrafting. It takes you through the different types and features of packrafts to ensure that you buy a boat that is right for you and have the right gear to use with it. It clearly explains the basic paddling skills and how to safely evaluate risks on the water. It also introduces the different types of adventures you can undertake with your packraft, from paddling a local canal or river to lashing a bicycle over the bow or using a packable sail to traverse open water. The book is comprehensively illustrated with over 120 colour photographs making it easy to understand and clear to follow.

A look at the nature of myth as a carrier of deep truth and that we all have our own internal myths about ourselves and life. Exploring what was and is meant by the term Messiah, both in the 1st century and now. "Here is a book bursting with common sense and inspiration, written by someone who has known life in all its rich complexity... It's a book that has to be read by all those who dare to ask for more" Revd Dr Terry Biddington FRSA, Dean of Spiritual Life, Winchester University.

There has been an explosion of interest in paddling right across the world – in 2020, British Canoeing reported a 40% rise in members, with 19,000 signing up in a 3-month period. Much of this interest has been in inflatable kayaks, with the author's own website (inflatablekayaksandpackrafts.com) averaging 1,000 visits a day. The comparatively low cost, the convenience of inflatable kayaks, and the fact that you can just get in and go, all add up to their appeal. And with thousands of miles of waterways in the UK, most are within reach of a river or canal where you can paddle your kayak and enjoy being in the fresh air, gently travelling through the natural world. You see the country from a different perspective and in an eco-friendly way. But, as with everything, a little bit of knowledge and technique makes the experience so much more enjoyable! That is where this book comes in. It provides a perfect introduction to the sport. It takes you through the different types of inflatable kayaks, so you buy the one that is right for you. It shows you the basic on-the-water skills that you will need, including getting in and out, how to paddle straight and turn. It outlines the gear you will need and talks about where to paddle as well as weather, safety, maintenance and repair of your equipment. It covers kayaking in rivers and canals, lakes and lochs, and coastal kayaking. All aspects are heavily illustrated with colour photographs making it easy to understand and clear to follow.

MindConsiliums is a peer-reviewed journal welcoming and featuring authors who are open to transdisciplinary cross-pollination approach to the Mind and the Mind's matters.MindConsiliums intends to challenge the accepted disciplinary boundaries, and construct an open-minded dialogue by publishing articles of interest to mental health and medical professionals, educators, AI researchers, neuroscientists, and other scientists and scholars of related disciplines.

Walking guide to the 256-mile Pennine Way, Britain's best-known National Trail. 138 large-scale maps (just under 1:20,000); full details of all accommodations, restaurants, pubs.

Justin Bieber is an amazing young man who has gone from buskin outside the Avon Theatre to world superstar. This is a simple guide to Justin, his fans, music and background. You should take this guide as an inspiration on how a regular guy can make it, and you can too, maybe not as a musician but in whatever field you love and enjoy.

Chris Scott and his band of globetrotting contributors and specialists have put together the definitive manual for planning and undertaking a vehicle-dependent overlanding adventure across the wilds of Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Overlanders’ Handbook is written in the same entertaining yet clear jargon-free English for which Chris’s other books are known – it doesn’t assume you know your plug gap from a radiator cap. Planning – When to go; typical costs; documentation; sponsorship; early overland journeys. Vehicle choice and preparation – The Overlanders’ Handbook is the most comprehensive account in print, covering everything from adapting a cheap car to equipping a campervan or 4x4 for months on the road, or even building and outfitting your own accommodation module to mount on an all-terrain truck chassis. Life on the road – How to handle dodgy borders, haggle over a purchase, treat a dodgy stomach and cope with crazy driving conditions. Guidance on wild camping; navigation and mapping strategies; onward shipping; advice for solo women overlanders; travelling with children or with pets; vehicle repairs and troubleshooting; and off-road driving techniques. Continental route outlines – Guidelines on both popular and obscure overland routes through Africa, Asia and Latin America. Includes fuel prices, easiest borders and best seasons, visa strategies, danger zones and regional highlights. Overlanders’ Tales – Half a dozen accounts of global adventures lasting months or even years – in vans, 4x4s and all-terrain trucks – from contributors aged from 9 to 69. Supported by the online resource: www.overlanders-handbook.com

A biological crossroads where temperate gives way to tropical and east blends into west, Florida has over twenty-five primary habitat types, several of which are unique to the state. Within these richly varied natural communities lives an astonishing abundance of animals and plants, making Florida one of the United States' most biologically diverse regions. At the same time, sadly, Florida is also one of the country's most ecologically imperiled regions, second only to California in the number of its animals and plants that have been federally designated as endangered or threatened. This fully illustrated book is a comprehensive, yet convenient and easy-to-understand guide to Florida's endangered and threatened animals and the habitats that support them. Chris Scott covers all 71 species, subspecies, or populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, crustaceans, insects, corals, and mollusks. His species accounts describe each animal's listed status, identifying characteristics, historical and current distribution, biology, current threats, and conservation efforts. To make the crucial link between animals and their habitats, Scott also includes extensive discussions of Florida's natural regions; human impacts on the environment, including habitat destruction, pollution, and the introduction of invasive, nonnative species; and ongoing efforts to conserve and restore native plant and animal communities. With this wealth of information available in no other single volume, everyone who cares about the natural environment can help preserve one of America's biological treasurehouses.

For the independently-mobile traveller the mountains and deserts of southern Morocco are a year-round destination offering a thrilling variety of experiences. Covering over 9000km from the High Atlas to the Mauritanian border, Morocco Overland features detailed GPS off-road routes for 4WDs, motorcycles and mountain bikes as well as scenic byways suitable for any vehicle. The book also includes guidance on choosing and preparing vehicles, the best places and times to go, getting to Morocco as well as local fly-drive options and off-road driving and riding techniques. Upfront colour section on Moroccan off-road highlights Getting to Morocco: Cross country routes and Mediterranean ferries Guidelines on vehicle choice and preparation Fly-drive: local 4WD and bike rentals Over 40 GPS routes covering 9000km, including the Atlantic Route to Mauritania Each route is reversible and graded for difficulty, scenery and best time of year 50 pages of maps covering each route Additional mapping and GPS downloads available at www.morocco-overland.com With more than 40 easy-to-follow-routes ranging from High Atlas trails reaching 3000m to arid canyons winding past hidden Berber villages and from the Atlantic surf to former Dakar Rally pistes, this comprehensive route and planning guide will appeal to both the first timer looking to dip their toe in Africa and to the seasoned adventurer.

The Rough Guide to Australiais your indispensable guide to one of the most unforgettable countries on earth. Packed with practical information on Australian once-in-a-lifetime experiences; from sunrise walks around Uluru; viewing Kangaroo Island's wild seals, sea lions, kangaroos and koalas, bush-camping safaris in UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, exhilarating helicopter flights down the dramatic gorges of Aboriginal-owned Nitmiluk National Park to the stunning harbour side bars and restaurants of Sydney. Written by a team of widely-travelled, dedicated authors discover the best hotels in Australia, recommended Australian restaurants and cafes, shopping and festivals around the country, for every budget. The Rough Guide to Australiagives you the lowdown on everything from sunset fish-and-chips at Fremantle harbour, surfing at the best local beaches, spectacular road trips across this vast country, to travelling in style on the 3-day Indian Pacific train from Perth to Sydney. You'll find expert background on Australia's history, wildlife, cinema, and fascinating aboriginal culture and the clearest maps of any guide. Make the most of your holiday with The Rough Guide to Australia.

Named for its high altitude and boasting one of the smallest populations east of the Mississippi River, Highland County is nicknamed "Virginia's Little Switzerland." Although settlers began arriving in the area as early as 1745, Highland County was not officially formed until 1847. Portions were carved from neighboring Bath and Pendleton Counties to create the new county of Highland. The isolation of the area required great perseverance and commitment from the early German and Scotch Irish settlers, but in many ways, it gave the area its identity and character. Highland County has a rich tradition of both strong individualism and community spirit. With photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries and into the new millennium, this volume tells the rich, fascinating story, both rural and modern, of the county and its people.

Whether readers are traveling by 4WD or camel, this acclaimed guide covers all aspects Saharan and includes 10,000 miles of itineraries in Morocco, Mauritania, Libya, Mali, Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad, and Egypt.

The death of the Roman Empire is one of the perennial mysteries of world history. Now, in this groundbreaking book, Peter Heather proposes a stunning new solution: Rome generated its own nemesis. Centuries of imperialism turned the neighbors it called barbarians into an enemy capable of dismantling the Empire that had dominated their lives for so long. Heather is a leading authority on the late Roman Empire and on the barbarians. In The Fall of the Roman Empire , he explores the extraordinary success story that was the Roman Empire and uses a new understanding of its continued strength and enduring limitations to show how Europe's barbarians, transformed by centuries of contact with Rome on every possible level, eventually pulled it apart. He shows first how the Huns overturned the existing strategic balance of power on Rome's European frontiers, to force the Goths and others to seek refuge inside the Empire. This prompted two generations of struggle, during which new barbarian coalitions, formed in response to Roman hostility, brought the Roman west to its knees. The Goths first destroyed a Roman army at the battle of Hadrianople in 378, and went on to sack Rome in 410. The Vandals spread devastation in Gaul and Spain, before conquering North Africa, the breadbasket of the Western Empire, in 439. We then meet Attila the Hun, whose reign of terror swept from Constantinople to Paris, but whose death in 453 ironically precipitated a final desperate phase of Roman collapse culminating in the Vandals' defeat of the massive Byzantine Armada: the west's last chance for survival. Peter Heather convincingly argues that the Roman Empire was not on the brink of social or moral collapse. What brought it to an end were the barbarians.

Just in time for the 2000 Olympics, this guide goes down under to provide in-depth accounts of every region, from Tasmania to the tropics, from wildlife to wild Melbourne nightlife. This fully updated edition features more information on exploring the Outback and adventure activities as well as the latest on getting to - or staying away from - the Olympic Games.

"Herping", the practice of finding and identifying species of snakes and other reptiles, is becoming as popular as bird watching among many people interested in natural history. This guide lists and describes every known species of snake found in the U.S. and Canada--a total of 438--and provides "herpers" with a formal journal in which to record their lifelist of observations. 92 color photos.

Contains a comprehensive listing of 433 snake species, subspecies, intergrades, hybrids, and color phases found in the U.S. and Canada. Both native and introduced species have been included, illustrated by color photographs. The format of this lifelist is, with a few exceptions, in taxonomic order, which is the order utilized in most current field guides. Recording your observations of different species or forms on this lifelist will enable you to retain memories of a lifetime of herpetological field trips. Documenting the habitats, habits, size, sex, etc., of new forms will help you learn more about snakes in general.

Russia branded George Michael Stevens a traitor and shortly thereafter it was announced he died of natural causes. Journalist Bill Johnson is assigned the task of finding out the truth about his "death", but the facts are elusive and lead him on an evasive hunt for the truth.