As a kid I remember waiting every year to get a copy of the Guinness book of records. The book is still available today but has changed its name slightly to the Guinness world records. The title explains what the book is all about as it chronicles all the world records that have been made such as the tallest man or the fastest cat or many other feats that have been achieved.
This book is accredited to the Irish twins Ross and Norris McWhirter who actually published the first Guinness book of records in Britain as far back as 1955. What a lot of people do not actually realize though is that the book is commissioned by a famous brewery in Ireland namely the Guinness brewery.
Not only would this book promote the name of Guinness worldwide but it was a good way of people being able to settle the many little arguments that they used to have while in the bars.
It is rumored that the original idea came in 1951 when a certain Sir Hugh Beaver, who was at the time a managing director of the Guinness Empire was participating in a shooting party. He somehow got into an exchange of words with another person about Europe's fastest bird. They argued about whether it was the Koshin Golden Plover or the Grouse.
Sir Hugh thought that he would find the answer in his reference books that night in his Home at Castlebridge House. It turned out though that his reference books were not all that forthcoming with the information that he required.
Then a thought struck his mind that perhaps a book like this could in fact be quite interesting. This was the start of the Guinness book of records.
This annual book has sold millions of copies since it was first published in 1955. Funnily enough it now holds a record itself as the most popular and best selling of all the copyrighted serial books in the world.
What is more ironic is the fact that it also holds the record for being the most stolen book in public libraries in America.
This book is accredited to the Irish twins Ross and Norris McWhirter who actually published the first Guinness book of records in Britain as far back as 1955. What a lot of people do not actually realize though is that the book is commissioned by a famous brewery in Ireland namely the Guinness brewery.
Not only would this book promote the name of Guinness worldwide but it was a good way of people being able to settle the many little arguments that they used to have while in the bars.
It is rumored that the original idea came in 1951 when a certain Sir Hugh Beaver, who was at the time a managing director of the Guinness Empire was participating in a shooting party. He somehow got into an exchange of words with another person about Europe's fastest bird. They argued about whether it was the Koshin Golden Plover or the Grouse.
Sir Hugh thought that he would find the answer in his reference books that night in his Home at Castlebridge House. It turned out though that his reference books were not all that forthcoming with the information that he required.
Then a thought struck his mind that perhaps a book like this could in fact be quite interesting. This was the start of the Guinness book of records.
This annual book has sold millions of copies since it was first published in 1955. Funnily enough it now holds a record itself as the most popular and best selling of all the copyrighted serial books in the world.
What is more ironic is the fact that it also holds the record for being the most stolen book in public libraries in America.
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